Economy and commerce
Banking and financial services
NGOs invited to discuss MFI report
Officials of NGOs Licadho and Sahmakum Teang Tnaut will attend a closed-door meeting at the Council of Ministers on Wednesday to explain the findings of their recent report claiming that increasing levels of debt at microfinance institutions (MFIs) has resulted in human rights violations. ...
Khorn Savi
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ngos-invited-discuss-mfi-report
Cambodia’s total mortgages near $3.5B
Mortgage loans in Cambodia continue to surge this year, according to Credit Bureau Cambodia (CBC). The credit body’s consumer report showed that outstanding mortgages hit $3.42 billion at the end of June. CBC’s data showed that loans have increased by 30 percent from the same ...
Hor Kimsay
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50635423/cambodias-total-mortgages-near-3-5b/
National Bank of Cambodia slams NGOs’ lending report
The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) on Thursday slammed a report on predatory lending in the Kingdom by local human rights NGOs Licadho and Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT), which was released on Wednesday, as “flawed”. The report, entitled Collateral Damage, claimed that increasing levels of ...
Thou Vireak
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/national-bank-cambodia-slams-ngos-lending-report
Report: MFI loans force land sales, increase in child labour
A report from local human rights NGOs Licadho and Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT) claimed that the increasing levels of debt caused by taking loans from microfinance institutions (MFIs) is forcing rural families to sell off land. The study also claimed that the sharp rise in debt ...
Thou Vireak
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/report-mfi-loans-force-land-sales-increase-child-labour
Bank loan portfolios set to be at least 10% in local currency
Cambodian commercial banks are showing a stronger preference to provide riel loans to microfinance institutions (MFI) as they rush to increase the share of local currency in their loan portfolio to at least 10 per cent by the end of next year. ...
Hor Kimsay
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/bank-loan-portfolios-set-be-least-10-local-currency
Fresh round of MFI license cancellations by NBC
The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) has rejected two license applications and revoked the licenses of 24 microfinance institutions operating outside the capital, according to an announcement released Wednesday. ...
Sum Manet
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50531273/fresh-round-of-mfi-license-cancellations-by-nbc/
Firms back loan relief measures for victims
Representatives from the Kingdom’s microfinance sector on Sunday said the industry was keeping a close watch on those impacted by the Mekong River flooding, and that they were willing to take measures to reduce the financial burden on the victims. ...
Hor Kimsay
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/firms-back-loan-relief-measures-victims
Students to learn financial literacy
Cambodian students from grade 1 to 12 will begin studying basic financial skills starting in the 2019 academic year as the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) is now finalising the curriculum. NBC director-general Chea Serey said Thursday that the new curriculum would help boost the ...
Hor Kimsay
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/students-learn-financial-literacy
National Bank of Cambodia warns of dodgy lenders
The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) announced on Friday that it is seeking to cooperate with relevant stakeholders to crack down on illegal lenders. It also alerted the public about the dangers of taking cash loans from unfamiliar sources. ...
Hor Kimsay
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/national-bank-cambodia-warns-dodgy-lenders
Visa transactions up 30 percent
Visa Inc, the world’s leader in digital payments, experienced strong growth in Cambodia in 2017 with the number of Visa cards in the country increasing by 65 percent compared to the previous year. ...
Sum Manet
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50504799/visa-transactions-up-30-percent/
NBC revokes licenses of 11 rural credit institutions
The National Bank of Cambodia on Wednesday announced it is revoking the licenses of 11 rural credit institutions and rejecting license applications from 12 other credit organisations. ...
May Kunmakara
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50503744/nbc-revokes-licenses-of-11-rural-credit-institutions/
NBC warns against unlicensed deposit schemes
The National Bank of Cambodia issued a letter on Wednesday clarifying that only seven microfinance institutions (MFIs) are licensed to accept deposits from the public. The notification came after the central bank noticed several “rural credit operators” – institutions smaller than a typical MFI that ...
Hor Kimsay
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/nbc-warns-against-unlicensed-deposit-schemes
NBC promotes riel liquidity
Commercial banks and microfinance institutions have acquired more than 209 billion riel in riel liquidity, worth $52.4 million, from the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) since the central bank began its liquidity-providing collateralised operation (LPCO) in October 2016. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50116187/nbc-promotes-riel-liquidity/
Japan firm eyes stake in local MFI Chamroeun
Cambodian microfinance institution (MFI) Chamroeun Microfinance Plc is negotiating with Japanese firm Renet Japan Group to sell a 90 percent stake in the MFI to the Japanese used goods dealer, according to Nikkei Asian Review. ...
Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/japan-firm-eyes-stake-local-mfi-chamroeun
CBC says growth of credit charging ahead
Credit Bureau Cambodia (CBC) yesterday released its report for the fourth quarter of 2017, which showed significant growth in applications for credit, particularly in the credit card and mortgage sectors. ...
Brendan O’Byrne
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/cbc-says-growth-credit-charging-ahead
New warning against digital coins issued
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia (SECC) yesterday warned the public against investing in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, arguing that there is no regulation in place to manage the use of digital coins. ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50102471/new-warning-against-digital-coins-issued/
Delinquent loan rate continues to rise
The rate of microfinance loans with overdue payments nearly doubled last year according to the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), though it remained within a normal range and was coupled with a rise in deposits. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/delinquent-loan-rate-continues-rise
Local bank and MFI sector continue their meteoric rise
In 2017 the local financial sector continued the strong growth that has characterised the industry in recent times, with commercial banks and microfinance institutions (MFIs) seeing a robust expansion in loans and deposits throughout the year, according to the National Bank of Cambodia’s (NBC) annual ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50100172/local-bank-mfi-sector-continue-meteoric-rise/
NBC takes licences from 11 lenders
Cambodia’s central bank yesterday announced a decision to revoke the operating licences of 11 rural credit operators for failing the abide by regulations. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/nbc-takes-licences-11-lenders
Business Insider: Boosting inclusion for online payment at Pi Pay
While Cambodia remains a largely cash-based society, the market for financial technology has begun to expand through online payment services and mobile e-wallets like Pi Pay. The Post’s Robin Spiess sat down with Pi Pay CEO Tomas Pokorny to discuss the future of economic digitisation in the Kingdom. ...
Robin Spiess
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/business-insider-boosting-inclusion-online-payment-pi-pay
Kingdom’s startups stuck in the middle with no capital
Despite Cambodia having a vibrant startup scene with entrepreneurs launching ventures on a near daily basis, businesses trying to tap into financial resources for growth have difficulty accessing capital and are stuck in the unbankable “missing middle”, according to a recent study. ...
Robin Spiess
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/kingdoms-startups-stuck-middle-no-capital
Anti-fraud software firm draws major clients
A year after a local technology company introduced new software to combat financial crime in Cambodia, four banks have started using the system to fight against money laundering and terrorism financing, the company’s executive said yesterday. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/anti-fraud-software-firm-draws-major-clients
NBC gives banks, MFIs greenlight to issue bonds
The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) announced on Friday that local banks and microfinance institutions (MFIs) can now issue corporate bonds or list equity securities on the nascent Cambodian stock market, a move industry insiders claim will help financial institutions raise capital and be less ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/nbc-gives-banks-mfis-greenlight-issue-bonds
Government reduces tax load on MFIs receiving money from abroad
The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) recently decided to shrink the tax burden for local microfinance institutions (MFIs) by lowering withholding tax on interest from loans acquired from abroad from 14 to 10 percent, a move that the government claims will keep the massive ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/government-reduces-tax-load-mfis-receiving-money-abroad