ComBank upgrades ATM network to accept JCB cards issued worldwide

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has announced that worldwide holders of JCB (Japan Credit Bureau) Credit Cards can now withdraw money from the bank’s ATMs in Sri Lanka, offering a segment of tourists visiting the country easy access to their funds.

The announcement follows a network-wide upgrade of Commercial Bank’s ATMs to channel JCB card transactions to JCB International via the national card switch LankaPay, the bank said on Monday.

Earlier this year, Commercial Bank became one of the first banks in Sri Lanka to have its point-of-sale (POS) network accept LankaPay-JCB co-branded cards issued under the national card scheme programme, and said the bank’s POS machine network would gradually be upgraded to accept both LankaPay-JCB co-branded cards issued by local banks and JCB cards issued internationally.

The new development of ATM acceptance of JCB cards enables the bank to enhance its services to the increasing number of tourists and business professionals visiting the country, especially from Asia where JCB has a large number of card members.

“We are delighted to announce that with the enablement of JCB, Commercial Bank’s ATM network becomes the leading acceptor of card brands in the country,” said Thusitha Suraweera, Head of Commercial Bank’s Card Centre. “This is in line with the bank’s continuing drive to offer the highest possible levels of convenience through its investments in technology.”

Commercial Bank’s ATM network, currently comprising of 854 terminals, is the single largest ATM network owned by a private bank in Sri Lanka. The bank’s ATMs accept Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, LankaPay, Plus, Diners Club International, Discover and JCB cards. The bank’s ATMs are secured with EMV technology and anti-skimming devices which protect the cardholders from counterfeit transactions, the bank said in a statement.