Art. 3.1.5 of the Law on Investment mandates that foreign investors must make a minimum investment of USD 100,000, or its equivalent in tugrik, in order to establish a business entity. This requirement applies to enterprises in which foreign ownership exceeds 25%. Conversely, Mongolian investors are not subject to any minimum investment threshold.

Pursuant to Section 5 of the "Payment Cards and Mobile Payment Systems Regulations No. 1 of 2013", an individual or entity may engage in the business of, or operate as, a service provider in relation to a mobile phone-based electronic money (e-money) system, provided such activity is conducted under the authority of a licence issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
In addition, Circular No. 4 of 2023 issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka prescribes transaction and balance limits applicable to mobile e-money accounts. Under this framework, accounts classified as "enhanced"—those subject to full Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance—are permitted to hold and transact up to LKR 150,000 (approx. USD 500) per day. In contrast, "basic" accounts, which are subject to limited KYC procedures, are restricted to a daily limit of LKR 20,000 (approx. USD 70). Additionally, the maximum stored value permissible for each account category concurrently serves as the upper limit for individual transactions across all transaction types.

Revenue Protection Order No. 02/2017 stipulates that the de minimis threshold, defined as the minimum value of goods below which customs duties are not levied, applies in certain circumstances. According to the Sri Lanka Customs National Imports Tariff Guide 2024, imports of personal items (including gifts) valued at LKR 20,000 or less (approx. USD 60), and commercial samples valued at LKR 60,000 or less (approx. USD 200), are exempt from customs import duties, subject to the terms and conditions prescribed by the Director General of Customs. These thresholds fall below the USD 200 benchmark recommended by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

Direction 91 of the Consumer Affairs Authority establishes a comprehensive framework for consumer protection, extending its applicability to online transactions. Additionally, e-consumer rights are implicitly safeguarded under existing information technology and consumer protection laws. However, concerns have been raised regarding the adequacy of these regulations in fully addressing the needs of online consumers. Despite Direction 91 partially bridging some of the legislative gaps, key issues in digital consumer protection remain insufficiently covered by current local laws.

Sri Lanka has signed and ratified the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts.

Sri Lanka has enacted national legislation, namely the "Electronic Transactions Act, No. 19 of 2006", which is founded upon and influenced by the standards set forth in the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce.

Sri Lanka has not enacted national legislation that is comprehensively based on the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures. Nonetheless, the Electronic Transactions Act No. 19 of 2006 implements some regulation related to electronic signatures.

It is reported that online payments from foreign to local entities face restrictions in Sri Lanka. Although these payments are permitted through licensed offline channels, such as commercial banks, the limitations apply to digital platforms and they have reportedly constrained the ability of Sri Lankan recipients to receive foreign income via online payment services, including digital wallets like PayPal.

Pursuant to Section 10.1 of the "Directions Issued to Authorised Dealers on Electronic Fund Transfer Cards", certain transactions are expressly prohibited when using credit or debit cards, including payments associated with virtual currency transactions, payments related to betting, gaming, or gambling activities outside the jurisdiction of Sri Lanka, and payments for the import of goods into Sri Lanka for commercial purposes.

Circular No. 20 of 2020, issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, stipulates that the maximum value for fund transfers conducted via the Common Electronic Fund Transfer Switch (CEFTS) shall not exceed LKR 5 million (approx. USD 16,700) per transaction.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka lists Virtual Private Network (VPN) services among the services that have been issued a license in the country. However, the regulatory text mandating the license has not been identified.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka lists e-mail services among the services that have been issued a license in the country. However, the regulatory text mandating the license has not been identified.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka lists data processing services related to air transport industry among the services that have been issued a license in the country. However, the regulatory text mandating the license has not been identified.

In August 2020, pursuant to the Imports and Exports (Control) Regulations No. 05 of 2020, the Government of Sri Lanka announced the suspension of import licences for a range of goods listed in Schedule 1 of the Regulations. These goods, which ordinarily require an import control licence for entry into the country, were temporarily restricted from importation in response to the economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspension took effect on 18 August 2020 and, as of 2024, remains in force for several product categories, thereby continuing to prohibit their importation. According to the 2024 Consolidated Import Control List, import control licences remain suspended for various items, including used automatic data processing machines (HS 8471.30.10), used monitors, and projectors not incorporating television reception apparatus, among others.

Under Section 115A of the Customs Ordinance, no goods may be imported into Sri Lanka except by a registered importer. According to the Sri Lanka Trade Portal, all importers, regardless of the type of goods, must present a valid Tax Identification Number (TIN) in order to complete their registration in the customs system. In addition, certain categories of goods are subject to import control and require an import control licence issued by the Controller of Imports and Exports, which must be obtained separately prior to importation.