Dollar rates at 5 banks on 21 October: rupee weakens, Sampath pays the most per dollar
The Sri Lankan rupee weakened slightly against the US dollar at commercial banks on Wednesday, 21 October 2026. All five banks in Newswire's morning roundup raised both their buying and selling rates from Tuesday, by between 5 and 50 cents. Selling rates ranged from Rs 335.75 to Rs 336.65.
Update, 22 October: today's Central Bank rates
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka's indicative rate for the US dollar was Rs 331.91 on Thursday, 22 October, up 37 cents from Rs 331.54 on Tuesday, 20 October. The rupee was weaker against 15 of the 16 currencies on our exchange rates page.
Rupees per unit of each currency on 22 October, with the change since 20 October:
- US dollar: 331.91 (+0.37)
- Euro: 372.90 (+0.78)
- British pound: 444.40 (+2.73)
- Australian dollar: 232.90 (+1.42)
- Canadian dollar: 236.37 (+1.10)
- UAE dirham: 90.37 (+0.11)
- Saudi riyal: 88.48 (+0.12)
- Qatari riyal: 91.05 (+0.10)
- Kuwaiti dinar: 1,069.75 (+3.51)
- Singapore dollar: 259.83 (+0.61)
The indicative rate is a reference, not a rate you can deal at. Banks buy currency from customers below it and sell above it, as the bank rates below show.
Rates at each bank
Rupees per US dollar on Wednesday morning, with Tuesday's rate in brackets. Bank names link to each bank's own rates page.
- Sampath Bank: buying 328.00 (327.50), selling 336.00 (335.50). Up 50 cents, the biggest move of the five.
- People's Bank: buying 327.66 (327.61), selling 335.79 (335.73). Up 5 to 6 cents.
- Seylan Bank: buying 327.40 (327.30), selling 336.65 (336.55). Up 10 cents.
- NDB Bank: buying 327.30 (327.10), selling 336.30 (336.10). Up 20 cents.
- Commercial Bank: buying 325.83 (325.58), selling 335.75 (335.50). Up 25 cents.
