Sri Lanka vs Australia · Real-time payment systems compared
| Capability | CEFTS | NPP |
|---|---|---|
| QR Code Payments | ✓ | — |
| Wallet Support | — | — |
| 24/7 Availability | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cross-Border | — | — |
| ISO 20022 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Request to Pay | — | ✓ |
| Open API | ◐ | ✓ |
| Alias/Proxy | ✓ | ✓ |
The Common Electronic Fund Transfer Switch is Sri Lanka's fast-payments backbone, launched in 2015 by LankaPay under Central Bank of Sri Lanka guidance as part of the Common Card and Payment Switch (CCAPS). CEFTS clears 24/7 real-time interbank credit transfers up to LKR 5 million, initiated through internet/mobile banking, ATMs, kiosks or over-the-counter. LANKAQR (QR-code standard), JustPay (in-app payments) and LPOPP (online payment platform, including GovPay) all ride on CEFTS. CEFTS now carries roughly two-thirds of Sri Lanka's interbank retail transactions.
Australia's New Payments Platform is a real-time clearing and settlement infrastructure with the Osko overlay service for consumer-facing instant transfers. PayID lets users receive money via phone number, email, or ABN instead of BSB/account numbers. Built on ISO 20022 messaging from day one, NPP supports rich data payloads and is governed by NPPA with 100+ participating financial institutions. Note: NPP data includes all overlay services (Osko, PayTo, and other mandated payment services) — not just real-time consumer transfers.