Currency profile
Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
The Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) is the official currency of Sri Lanka, divided into 100 cents (a subunit now obsolete in practice). It has traded under a managed float since 2022.
The Sri Lankan Rupee today
Mid-market · as of 6:12 PM GST
The rupee has moved with the market since Sri Lanka adopted a managed float in 2022, so its rate against the dollar and the dirham is market-set rather than fixed.
Exchange-rate regime
Managed float. Sri Lanka abandoned its dollar peg during the 2022 economic crisis and adopted a managed float, effective 13 May 2022. The rate is market-driven, with the Central Bank intervening only to smooth volatility; the Central Bank has stated this is not a pegged regime.
The issuing central bank
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka, established in 1950, issues the rupee and manages the exchange-rate arrangement.
History
- 1950The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) was established as the currency-issuing authority.
- 1972The currency took the name Sri Lanka rupee after the country was renamed from Ceylon in 1972.
- 2022Amid the 2022 economic crisis the rupee was floated; the Central Bank adopted a managed float with effect from 13 May 2022.
Coins and banknotes
One rupee is divided into 100 cents. Coins: Cents are obsolete in practice; low-value rupee coins circulate. Banknotes: 20, 50, 100, 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 rupees, issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Popular Sri Lankan Rupee pairs
What moves it
- The rupee floats on a managed basis, so its rate reflects supply and demand with selective Central Bank intervention.
- Reserves, IMF-programme conditions and import costs have been major influences since the 2022 crisis.
- Remittances and tourism are significant sources of foreign currency, with the UAE a notable corridor (World Bank).
Structural facts reviewed 8 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly. Sources: Central Bank of Sri Lanka · World Bank. Live rates are mid-market — see our Methodology and Editorial Policy.