Y A Jayathilaka, Deputy General Manager Products and Development, BOC.
Bank of Ceylon (BOC) has long been a beacon of trust and innovation in Sri Lanka’s banking sector. Introducing payment cards to Sri Lanka in 1989, BOC launched the first VISA credit card in the country and ATM card.
Among its diverse range of financial products, BOC credit and debit cards stand out for their comprehensive features, catering to various financial needs. BOC’s credit and debit cards offer unparalleled benefits, security, and access to many rewards, meeting the needs of various customer demographics while catering to essential and luxury lifestyles.
Y. A. Jayathilaka, DGM (Product and Banking Development), BOC emphasized the Bank’s dedication to enriching customer lifestyles through financial empowerment. “Our credit and debit cards are gateways to financial empowerment,” he stated, underscoring BOC’s commitment to providing solutions for seamless financial management. With over five million active debit cards, BOC users collectively perform transactions exceeding 300 billion rupees at ATMs and 20 billion rupees in Merchant Outlets (POS) and e-commerce monthly.
The VISA and MasterCard credit cards are designed to satisfy various consumer demands. Customers can choose among Classic, Gold, and Platinum from VISA cards and Titanium and Master World cards from MasterCard, which are accepted worldwide at more than 30 million retail locations and three million ATMs. In addition, cardholders can also enjoy an interest-free credit period and zero-interest installment payments for selected purchases and offers from hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, online stores, and many more throughout the year. BOC credit cards provide even more substantial discounts than debit cards through partnerships with numerous leading merchants and e-commerce platforms, significantly enhancing the value of credit card usage.
BOC offers specialized Credit cards for specific professional groups. These cred- it cards cater to the unique financial needs of sectors such as doctors, chartered accountants, and government employees, providing exclusive benefits and features.
State sector credit cards are designed for both government and semi-government employees, offering financial benefits that align with their requirements. They come with no joining fee and annual fee is waived off for the first year. This card ensures financial support for daily needs with credit limits tailored to each employee category.
Jayathilaka further emphasized, “Rather than waiting for monthly salary date, or until the income received to account, customers can spend from their credit cards and settle dues once the monthly income received, while enjoying all other benefits of a credit card”. Anyone can now re- quest credit cards via ‘Apply Online’ facility available on boc.lk.
