Sri Lanka · Methodology
How we compare exchange rates
What each rate means, which one we compare on, and the choices we make so banks line up fairly.
Where the numbers come from
We read each bank's own published exchange-rate board — the same rates it shows customers — and record every quote as a dated observation. Rates re-fetch through the business day (FX moves intraday, unlike most other rates we track), and a currency only gets a new data point when the bank's rate actually moves, so a flat sparkline honestly means "unchanged". Every row shows how fresh the figure is, with a Sourcelink straight to the bank's page so you can verify it.
Buy vs sell — read it from your side
Every currency has two rates, and which one applies depends on the direction of your transaction:
- Bank sells foreign currency (you buy)— e.g. you're buying USD for travel or an online purchase. You want this rate low (fewer rupees per dollar).
- Bank buys foreign currency (you sell)— e.g. you're converting an inward remittance or salary to rupees. You want this rate high (more rupees per dollar).
The board has a toggle for the two directions and highlights the best bank for whichever one you pick.
Which rate we compare — TT
Banks publish several rate types — telegraphic transfer (TT), cash/currency notes, demand drafts, traveller's cheques. We compare on the TT rate: it carries the narrowest spread and is the most widely relevant (electronic transfers, card settlement, remittances). We capture the other variants at ingest too; the board surfaces TT because mixing rate types would compare unlike things.
Why "up" is shown as bad here
On our deposit and T-bill boards a rising rate is good for you. FX is the opposite for a buyer: when the LKR rate per unit of foreign currency rises, your rupees buy less, so foreign currency is getting more expensive. We colour the trend from the buyer's perspective — a rising selling rate shows as a negative move — so the colour always means "better or worse for you", not just "up or down".
The CBSL reference rate
We also show the Central Bank of Sri Lanka's indicative rate as a pinned reference line. It's a benchmark — the market midpoint — not a rate you can transact at; it's there so you can see how far a bank's buy/sell sits from the middle, and how wide the day's spread is across banks.
What we don't do
We don't rank or score banks here — exchange rates are factual and move all day, so this is a live board, not a league table. The rate you actually get can also depend on amount, channel and fees, so always confirm with the bank before transacting. We hold no paid placements; ordering is by the rate alone. See our independence statement.