Banking and financial services policy and regulation

Cambodia’s central bank is to conduct on-site audits of microfinance institutions to check if they are complying with the interest rate cap that came into force more than two months ago, industry insiders have said.   ...

The government is working on legislation that would create a framework for the establishment of a custodian bank in Cambodia, according to securities firms, which claim the absence of this institution could be deterring foreign investors from participating in share offerings on the local stock ...

 Just months ahead of local elections, the Cambodian government has ordered the microfinance industry to cap interest rates on new and refinanced loans at 18 percent a year starting April 1. ...

The credit histories of about 400,000 borrowers were added to its database last year, raising the number to slightly more than 4 million in credit bureau database, Credit Bureau Cambodia Interim CEO Mr. Oeur Sothearoath says at the bureau’s newly opened office in Vattanac Capital. ...

The ruling CPP doubled down on Tuesday on its decision to cap interest rates on microfinance loans as a way to help the poor get out of debt, even as analysts called it a political move that would have long-term negative effects on the rural ...

The National Bank of Cambodia announced on Monday that it would set an annual interest rate ceiling of 18 percent for all microfinance institutions (MFIs), sparking concerns that lenders would stop offering smaller loans that often keep the most financially vulnerable afloat. ...

The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) issued a prakas, or directive, last week instructing commercial banks and microfinance institutions to make out more riel loans to their customers, in a bid to promote the use of the national currency. The prakas, which took effect on Thursday, ...

With the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the tax-collection arm of the United States government, stepping up its global sweep to catch American individuals and corporations hiding their overseas earnings, the American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia yesterday held a presentation for investors and financial institutions ...

Cambodia’s central bank yesterday launched a weekly issuance of Negotiable Certificate of Deposits (NCD) with selling scheduled for every Wednesday – a move aimed at developing the interbank lending market by promoting a secondary market for the short-term interest-bearing certificates. ...

More than a year into a government-backed campaign to clamp down on unlicensed lenders, nearly 130 small lenders operating under the radar have come into the fold, officials said yesterday. ...

Cambodia and China last week signed an agreement to exchange financial intelligence to combat money laundering and terrorism financing, though experts said the Kingdom should still be doing more to tackle an issue that has long persisted in the country, in part, due to local ...

Cambodian financial institutions surveyed yesterday said they were in compliance with the central bank’s revised liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) requirements as the deadline passed to increase their cash and highly liquid assets to weather any internal or external shocks. ...

The Cambodia Securities Exchange (CSX) officially began receiving applications for liquidity providers yesterday as part of an initiative to boost market liquidity, it said in a press release. ...

The Kingdom’s central bank ‒ the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) ‒ is working closely with experts from the US Treasury to set up a depositors’ protection scheme among banks in the country. This move was welcomed by the country’s banking industry with CEOs saying ...

The Tourism Ministry has started urging businesses and tour operators to accept Chinese yuan notes as part of a drive to attract tourists from China, sparking concern among some business owners who fear losses and fake currency. ...

Clients of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the Kingdom can now expect some form of protection from over-indebtedness that arises from their inability to meet their financial obligations on time as agreed in a credit agreement. ...

Revenue collected by the customs and excise department jumped nearly 20 per cent during the first six months of the year, compared with the same period a year earlier, figures released yesterday show. ...

The Ministry of Commerce has tapped Wing (Cambodia) Ltd Specialised Bank to be the fourth financial institution designated to handle payments for companies incorporated using the ministry’s online registration system. ...

The General Department of Taxation (GDT) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Financial Intelligence Unit of the National Bank of Cambodia (FIUNBC) to exchange information on money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities. ...

The National Bank of Cambodia responded to rumours yesterday that local banks were no longer accepting US dollar banknotes with minor imperfections, such as small tears, creases or ink stamps, stating that the central bank had not changed its policies. ...

Maybank Cambodia launched its first mobile application, which features Augmented Reality and QR Code Reader, on Saturday. ...

A government official lambasted the slow application rate for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that operate as microfinance lenders, urging them to register with the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC). ...

Five international financial institutions will join forces with the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) to hold the 1st Mekong Financial Inclusion Forum in Phnom Penh in July to explore and discuss the differences, similarities and opportunities for achieving financial inclusion in this unique region. ...

Two weeks since the central bank launched its FAST system, which provides instant riel-denominated fund transfers between banking institutions, operations are running smoothly, with usage of the new electronic payment system expected to pick up as it integrates more customers.   ...