Every bank's CNY rate, compared and updated through the day
Buying rateBank buys → You sellYou hand over CNY → you get rupees. Higher is better.
Selling rateBank sells → You buyYou hand over rupees → you get CNY. Lower is better.
Banks name their rates from their own side of the counter, so they read backwards at first. Here is what each one means for you.
Buying rate
Bank buys → You sell
1 CNY → LKR 49.390
You hand over CNY and the bank gives you rupees. This is the rate that counts when money reaches you from abroad: a salary, a remittance, a gift. Higher is better for you.
Selling rate
Bank sells → You buy
LKR 50.562 → 1 CNY
You hand over rupees and the bank gives you CNY. This is the rate that counts when you need foreign currency: travel, tuition, an online payment. Lower is better for you.
The gap between the two rates, which is the bank's margin on the exchange. A smaller gap is better for you, whichever way your money is going.
The midpoint between buying and selling, averaged across the banks. Useful for comparing one bank with another, but no counter will trade at it.
The Central Bank's published reference rate. No counter will trade at it. It is a benchmark, not an offer.
If you are selling CNY, you receive
LKR 49.39
at 49.390 per CNY · Deutsche Bank (Colombo Branch)
If you are buying CNY, you pay
LKR 50.56
at 50.562 per CNY · Bank of China (Colombo Branch)
Banks do not publish new rates at weekends. On a Saturday or Sunday these are Friday's closing rates.
Rates are sourced from bank websites and may differ from counter rates. Always verify with your bank before transacting.
Today the best buying rate for CNY is 49.39 rupees, offered by Deutsche Bank (Colombo Branch), and the cheapest selling rate is 50.56 rupees at Bank of China (Colombo Branch). Rates were last published on October 30, 2026.
The buying rate is the rate the bank buys at, so it is the rate you sell at. That is the one that matters when money is sent to you. The selling rate is the rate the bank sells at, so it is the rate you buy at. That is what matters before you travel. Banks name both rates from their own side of the counter, which is why they read backwards at first. The selling rate is always the higher of the two; the gap is the bank's margin.
It changes daily, which is why this page ranks every bank live instead of naming one. Check on the day you transact, and remember that a bank may also charge a fee on top of the rate.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka publishes an indicative reference rate for the market. It is not a rate you can transact at, because no counter will trade at it. That is why it is shown separately and left out of the best-rate comparison.
No. Banks publish rates on weekdays only and keep serving Friday's closing rates through Saturday and Sunday, so a weekend figure is Friday's number rather than a new one.
We check every bank's published rate card every 30 minutes while Sri Lankan banks are open. Most banks reprice once or twice a day.