# FriMi

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/frimi
> research date 2026-05-29 · extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [FriMi — official](https://www.frimi.lk/)

## Overview

**FriMi** is **Sri Lanka's first fully-fledged digital banking experience**, operated by **Nations Trust Bank PLC (NTB; CSE: NTB)** — NOT NDB Bank <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [Sri Lanka report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/LK)</sup>. **500,000+ app downloads** by 2025.

**Distinctive FriMi positioning**:
- **First and only Sri Lankan digital banking app with true online customer onboarding** — no forms, no need to visit branches; only requires Sri Lankan SIM + smartphone + Sri Lankan over 18.
- **Combination of digital bank account + digital wallet + payment system** wrapped in single lifestyle app.
- **NTB**'s digital banking arm — NTB is a major Sri Lankan commercial bank.

**FriMi services**: Interest-earning savings accounts + digital FDs + Savings Pots + Round-Up Savings + full funds-transfer + payments + financial-tracking features.

## History

**2017 — FriMi launches** <sup>[1][1]</sup> by **Nations Trust Bank PLC** as Sri Lanka's first fully-fledged digital banking experience.

**2019 — 2 years on FriMi continues to dominate Sri Lankan digital banking** <sup>[3][3]</sup>: NTB's digital banking dominance.

**2020-2024 — Mass Sri Lankan adoption** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: 500K+ app downloads.

**2025 — Continued growth + Digital Banking 2.0 features** <sup>[4][4]</sup>.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Nations Trust Bank PLC (CSE: NTB)** — major Sri Lankan commercial bank.

**Regulators**: **CBSL (Central Bank of Sri Lanka)**.

## Technical integration

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Channels** | FriMi mobile app (iOS + Android) + FriMi card |
| **Identifiers** | Phone + email + NIC (Sri Lankan National Identity Card) + card number |
| **LK rail** | **[LankaQR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/lankaqr)** (Sri Lanka national QR) |
| **License** | Bank (Nations Trust Bank-operated; CBSL-regulated) |
| **Sub-products** | FriMi Savings Account (interest-earning) + Digital FDs + Savings Pots + Round-Up Savings + payments + funds-transfer + financial-tracking |
| **Distinctive UX** | True online customer onboarding (no forms, no branch visit; only SR-SIM + smartphone + Sri Lankan over 18) |

## Users & growth

**2025 baseline** <sup>[2][2]</sup>:
- **App downloads**: 500,000+
- **Eligibility**: Any Sri Lankan over 18 with smartphone (no forms, no branch visit)
- **Distinctive Sri Lankan digital banking**: First and only true online customer onboarding

## Use cases

Sri Lankan digital banking via FriMi (account + wallet + payment system in one app); interest-earning savings; Digital FDs (Fixed Deposits); Savings Pots + Round-Up Savings; LankaQR national QR payments; funds-transfer + financial-tracking features.

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: **Nations Trust Bank PLC (CSE: NTB)**.

**Major Sri Lankan digital-banking + mobile-payment competitors**:
- **Sampath SET (Sampath Bank)** — major Sri Lankan bank mobile app
- **Commercial Bank of Ceylon Online** (CBC) — Sri Lanka's largest commercial bank
- **HNB SOLO** (Hatton National Bank)
- **People's Wave** (People's Bank — Sri Lankan state-owned)
- **PickMe Pay** (PickMe ride-hailing payment integration)
- **Helapay** (Sri Lankan mobile wallet)
- **iPay** (Cargills Bank mobile wallet)

**Regulator**: **CBSL (Central Bank of Sri Lanka)**.

## Fun facts

- **Sri Lanka's first fully-fledged digital banking experience** (2017 launch by NTB).
- **First and only Sri Lankan digital banking app with true online customer onboarding** — no forms, no branch visit; only SR-SIM + smartphone + Sri Lankan over 18.
- **500,000+ app downloads**.
- **Nations Trust Bank PLC (CSE: NTB) parent** — major Sri Lankan commercial bank.
- **Distinctive lifestyle-app positioning**: Savings + Digital FDs + Savings Pots + Round-Up Savings + payments + funds-transfer + financial-tracking all-in-one.
- **Common misperception**: FriMi is by NTB (Nations Trust Bank), NOT NDB Bank.

## Comparison

| Feature | FriMi | Sampath SET (Sampath Bank rival) | Commercial Bank Online (CBC; LK's largest commercial bank rival) | HNB SOLO (Hatton National Bank rival) | People's Wave (People's Bank state-owned rival) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **Nations Trust Bank PLC (CSE: NTB)** | Sampath Bank | Commercial Bank of Ceylon | Hatton National Bank | People's Bank (state-owned) |
| Type | **LK first fully-fledged digital banking + true online customer onboarding** | LK Sampath Bank mobile | LK Commercial Bank mobile | LK HNB mobile | LK state-bank mobile |
| Country | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka |
| Distinctive | **First + only true online customer onboarding (no forms, no branch); 500K+ downloads; lifestyle app + Savings Pots + Round-Up Savings + Digital FDs** | Sampath-anchored | LK's largest commercial bank-anchored | HNB-anchored | State-owned bank-anchored |

## Status

**Active, Sri Lanka's first fully-fledged digital banking experience** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>:
- **Nations Trust Bank PLC (CSE: NTB)** with FriMi since 2017.
- **500,000+ app downloads**.
- **First + only Sri Lankan digital banking with true online customer onboarding** (no forms, no branch visit).
- **CBSL regulated** via NTB banking license.

## Sources

[1]: https://www.frimi.lk/ "FriMi — official"
[2]: https://deposit.lk/frimi-digital-wallet "FriMi Digital Wallet Guide Sri Lanka — DepositLK"
[3]: https://www.ft.lk/Financial-Services/Two-years-on-FriMi-from-NTB-continues-to-dominate-digital-banking-sphere-in-Sri-Lanka/42-678570 "Two years on FriMi continues to dominate LK digital banking — Daily FT"
[4]: https://economynext.com/brand_voice/frimi-unlocking-digital-banking-2-0/ "FriMi Digital Banking 2.0 — EconomyNext"
[lk-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/LK

- [1] [FriMi — official][1]
- [2] [FriMi Digital Wallet Guide — DepositLK][2]
- [3] [FriMi continues to dominate LK — Daily FT][3]
- [4] [FriMi Digital Banking 2.0 — EconomyNext][4]
- <sup>[Sri Lanka report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/LK)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/LK-sri-lanka.md`

## Source

Biography extracted from [frimi.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/frimi). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.