Local corporates can raise foreign currency denominated capital through CSE

The Colombo Stock Exchange is permitting local entities incorporated or established in Sri Lanka to issue and list foreign currency denominated shares in the main market segment.

This new financing option for local companies is a result of the new strategic plan the CSE launched in 2020. Having obtained necessary clearances from the Securities & Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka, the Listing Rules and the Trading Rules of the CSE and the CDS Rules of the Central Depository Systems (Pvt.) Ltd. have been suitably amended to facilitate the listing, trading and clearing and settlement of foreign currency denominated shares to be issued by local entities. This regulatory framework has been effective since February 14, 2022, the CSE said in a media release.

CSE Chairman Dumith Fernando, said, “The enabling of the raising of foreign capital would fulfill a gap for capital raising in the Sri Lankan capital market. This was formulated taking into consideration the interests expressed by several local entities in raising foreign currency denominated capital via the CSE. We hope that Sri Lankan companies aspiring to grow internationally can now make use of this unique opportunity via the CSE to meet their foreign currency growth capital needs”.

Speaking on the development, Chief Regulatory officer of the CSE,  Renuke Wijayawardhane said; “The CSE submitted a comprehensive business proposal, including the proposed regulatory policy framework governing the listing and trading of foreign currency denominated shares issued by local entities on the CSE, to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) and the Ministry of Finance via the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the CSE continuously engaged with the Department of Foreign Exchange of CBSL in formulating the regulatory framework for this mechanism, resulting in a comprehensive set of  regulations and directions being issued  by the Ministry of Finance, which facilitate and enable the listing and trading of foreign currency denominated shares and debt securities on the CSE by local entities. With this initiative, we also hope to create a new stream of foreign currency-based revenue for the market participants”.