Credit Card Ownership Statistics in Sri Lanka (2026)
8.1% of adults in Sri Lanka owned a credit card in 2024, World Bank Global Findex data show. Down from 10% in 2021 to 8.1% in 2024 (−1.9 percentage points). Sri Lanka ranks #1 of 4 economies in South Asia on this measure, and #81 of 142 globally.
Key Statistics
- Latest value (2024)
- 8.1% (2024)
- Credit Card Ownership in Sri Lanka as of 2024, the most recent observation in World Bank Global Findex data.
- Change since 2021
- −1.9 pp (2024)
- Down from 10% in 2021 to 8.1% in 2024 (−1.9 percentage points).
- Earliest value in this dataset (2011)
- 3.5% (2011)
- Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Up from 3.5% in 2011 to 8.1% in 2024.
- Peak value (2021)
- 10% (2021)
- Highest value in the available series; the 2024 value is 8.1%.
- Rank in South Asia
- #1 of 4 (2024)
- Sri Lanka ranks 1 of 4 countries in South Asia with data, based on each country's latest value.
- Global rank
- #81 of 142 (2024)
- Sri Lanka ranks 81 of 142 countries with data globally.
- South Asia average
- 3.7% (2024)
- Sri Lanka (8.1%) is above the average of 3.7% across the 4 countries in South Asia with data.
- Internet use in Sri Lanka (2024)
- 54.6% (2024)
- 54.6% of the population in Sri Lanka used the internet in 2024 (World Bank); shown for context only.
- Population (2024)
- 21.9 million (2024)
- Sri Lanka had a population of 21.9 million in 2024 (World Bank); shown for scale only.
Trend, 2011–2024
| Year | % of adults (age 15+) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 8.1% | −1.9 pp |
| 2021 | 10% | +4.7 pp |
| 2017 | 5.3% | +1.6 pp |
| 2014 | 3.8% | +0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 3.5% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What share of adults in Sri Lanka owned a credit card?
8.1% of adults in Sri Lanka owned a credit card in 2024, according to World Bank Global Findex data.
How has credit card ownership in Sri Lanka changed over time?
World Bank Global Findex data show a rise from 3.5% in 2011 to 8.1% in 2024.
How does Sri Lanka compare with other countries in South Asia?
Sri Lanka ranks 1 of 4 countries in South Asia with data, with 8.1% versus a regional average of 3.7% (latest values per country).
Where does Sri Lanka rank globally on credit card ownership?
Sri Lanka ranks 81 of 142 countries with data globally, based on the latest World Bank Global Findex value for each country.
Source & methodology
Source: World Bank Global Findex, indicator
fin10, retrieved .
Figures are shown exactly as published in the source dataset; only the change column of the trend table is computed from adjacent published values.Read more on the methodology page. All figures are estimates and projections; this is not financial advice.
Last updated .