SEC Welcomes Budget 2027 Measures to Broaden Capital Market Access for Students and SMEs
COLOMBO, November 13, 2026 — The Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) has welcomed two Budget 2027 proposals aimed at expanding investor participation and helping small and medium enterprises raise capital through stock market listings.
SEC Chairman Senior Professor Hareendra Dissabandara said the initiatives, titled “A Share for Everyone” and the SME Listing Support Mechanism, had been proposed and consistently advocated by the regulator.
“A Share for Everyone”, introduced under the vision of “Let’s Know, Let’s Learn, Let’s Invest”, will provide eligible Advanced Level students with an opportunity to enter the capital market and gain practical exposure to investing.
The SEC said the programme aims to improve financial literacy, encourage informed investment decisions and support long-term wealth creation among young Sri Lankans.
The SME Listing Support Mechanism is intended to help smaller businesses access funding through stock market listings, providing an additional avenue for expansion while encouraging stronger corporate governance and transparency.
The regulator said the measures address relatively low capital market participation from two directions: expanding the investor base and encouraging more businesses to list, thereby widening the range of investment opportunities.
According to the SEC, a broader investor community and a more diverse pool of listed companies could strengthen capital mobilisation, financial inclusion and market liquidity, while supporting long-term economic resilience.
The Commission also welcomed the allocation of resources for the initiatives and the proposed collaboration with the Colombo Stock Exchange and other market stakeholders. Its statement did not specify funding amounts, detailed eligibility criteria or implementation timelines.
The SEC said it would work with the Ministry of Finance, the Colombo Stock Exchange, market intermediaries, educational institutions and industry stakeholders to implement the programmes.
Dissabandara described the proposals as investments in Sri Lanka’s future investors, entrepreneurs and economic growth, and affirmed the regulator’s commitment to their implementation.
