Citizens Development Business Finance PLC (CDB) on Thursday introduced what it described as Sri Lanka’s first Sound Box for digital payments, a device that issues real-time voice confirmation when a QR transaction lands in a merchant’s account.
The Sound Box removes the need for shopkeepers to check a phone screen to confirm each payment, instead announcing successful transfers audibly. CDB said the unit is designed for high-volume cash-heavy environments such as markets, fairs and pop-up stores, where merchants often handle several customers in quick succession.
The device supports QR transactions and ships with built-in card acceptance hardware, with card payment services to be activated by CDB at a later date. The launch is notable because CDB is a non-bank licensed finance company, entering merchant payment-device territory typically dominated by commercial banks.
Chief Sales and Digital Business Officer Hasitha Dassanayake said the rollout is intended to address pain points around transaction visibility and trust for small and medium enterprises. “By addressing key pain points in transaction visibility and trust, we are reinforcing CDB’s role as a leader in financial services innovation and supporting Sri Lanka’s transition towards a cash-lite economy,” he said.
The launch lands during a sustained government push to broaden digital payment adoption. The administration waived merchant discount fees on LankaQR transactions up to Rs. 5,000 from April 6, and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake convened bank chiefs to accelerate QR adoption under the National QR Payment Promotion Project, which now covers around 450,000 merchant locations.
Source: Colombo Gazette.
