Rukmal Dharmadasa, Chief Manager of Supply Chain Finance at NDB Bank, unveils TradeLinc, NDB Bank’s in-house digital platform, addressing critical gaps in Sri Lanka’s supply chain finance by improving liquidity, reducing reliance on collateral, and streamlining operations. It reflects the bank’s commitment to digital innovation, financial inclusion, and SME empowerment, aligning with NDB’s broader strategy to modernise banking and enable national economic growth.
How does TradeLinc reflect NDB’s vision for the future of banking in Sri Lanka?
TradeLinc serves as a testament to NDB Bank’s commitment to shaping the future of banking in Sri Lanka through purposeful innovation. As an entirely in-house developed digital solution, TradeLinc embodies our vision of a connected, efficient, and inclusive financial ecosystem designed around local realities but built to global standards.
In the long term, we foresee a decisive shift in trade finance, from fragmented, paper-based processes to fully integrated, real-time digital ecosystems. TradeLinc is a catalyst for that transformation. It enables corporates and SMEs to access liquidity faster, engage seamlessly with suppliers and distributors, and make data-driven decisions through real-time visibility. By eliminating manual bottlenecks and reducing dependencies on traditional financing models, we anticipate the emergence of more agile and resilient businesses, particularly in the SME segment, which will now be better equipped to scale with confidence.
TradeLinc also contributes to the broader goal of national digitalisation by fostering a culture of transparency, financial inclusion, and operational excellence. In many ways, it’s not just a platform, but a foundational building block for the future of smart banking in Sri Lanka.
What specific challenges in Sri Lanka’s supply chain finance ecosystem does TradeLinc address?
Sri Lanka’s supply chain finance ecosystem, particularly for SMEs, has long grappled with issues such as limited access to working capital, high dependency on collateral, opaque transactional flows, and outdated, paper-based processes. SMEs often face cash flow bottlenecks due to delayed receivables or inflexible payment terms from buyers, which restrict their ability to grow or reinvest.
TradeLinc was explicitly built to address these gaps. The platform facilitates early payment to suppliers without requiring collateral, using approved invoices as the basis for financing. For buyers, it offers flexibility in structuring payment terms and even unlocking early payment discounts. For distributors, TradeLinc enables real-time credit availability, enhancing purchasing power and ensuring continuity of supply.
Crucially, this was not a one-size-fits-all import. TradeLinc was designed by NDB’s team, which has deep knowledge of local market dynamics. That allowed us to build a solution that is cost-efficient, user-friendly, and deeply aligned with the operational nuances of Sri Lankan businesses.
How is TradeLinc expected to improve liquidity management and operational efficiency for businesses?
TradeLinc transforms liquidity management from a reactive task into a proactive strategy. By digitising and automating the supply chain financing process, businesses gain access to real-time funding based on verified trade transactions. This means suppliers don’t need to wait for long payment cycles to get paid, while buyers can negotiate more favourable terms and optimise their working capital.
Operationally, the platform eliminates the need for paper documents, manual reconciliations, and time-consuming credit assessments. Everything from invoice verification to payment tracking is conducted digitally, providing businesses with end-to-end visibility and greater control over their cash flows.
The feedback from our early adopters has been overwhelmingly positive. Several large corporates have reported not only improved internal efficiencies but also enhanced relationships with their suppliers and distributors due to the seamless and transparent nature of the platform. SMEs, in particular, appreciate the speed of access to financing and the removal of traditional barriers, such as collateral or rigid loan terms. These initial outcomes affirm that TradeLinc is already making a measurable impact.
In what ways does the integration of TradeLinc into NDB’s service portfolio support the bank’s overall growth goals?
The integration of TradeLinc is strategic on multiple fronts. From a wholesale banking perspective, it enhances the depth of our value proposition to clients by moving beyond traditional lending into the realm of embedded financial services. It allows us to form deeper partnerships with corporates and SMEs by offering them a critical enabler for growth, seamless access to liquidity and operational efficiency.
On the digital front, TradeLinc reinforces NDB’s position as a pioneer in banking innovation. Unlike generic third-party platforms, this is a tailor-made solution developed in-house, which not only ensures data sovereignty and security but also allows for agile customisation as market needs evolve. It’s a testament to our ability to innovate from within and deliver technology that’s both locally grounded and globally competitive.
More broadly, TradeLinc supports NDB’s long-term digital transformation agenda by serving as a flagship platform that demonstrates how digitisation can drive financial inclusion, empower entrepreneurs, and support sustainable economic development. It aligns perfectly with our purpose of being a true enabler of progress for businesses, for industries, and for the nation.