News
Government denies rumours of national cryptocurrency
Government officials today shot down rumours that Cambodia would be issuing its own national cryptocurrency, despite international media coverage and a high-profile government official’s plan to attend an event organized by the company responsible for the claims. ...
Hor Kimsay and Robin Spiess
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/government-denies-rumours-national-cryptocurrency
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
Deal for yuan trade with China in works
Officials in Cambodia and China’s Guangdong province are cooperating to establish trade using yuan instead of US dollars, part of the two countries’ increasingly close economic relationship. The suggestion to use yuan directly, instead of using US dollars as an intermediary currency, was made by ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/deal-yuan-trade-china-works
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/
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/
New rules for digital payments
The central bank has issued new regulations governing the licensing of payment services providers (PSPs), requiring that all firms providing online services to accept electronic payments have at least $2 million in registered capital, a move expected to increase the stability of the sector and ...
Hor Kimsay and Matthieu de Gaudemar
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/new-rules-digital-payments
A roadmap for financial growth
The government yesterday unveiled its financial sector development strategy for 2016 to 2025, which provides stakeholders with a document to evaluate the last decade of growth while outlining an action plan for the next decade. Chea Serey, director-general of the NBC, said the content of ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/roadmap-financial-growth
Steady FDI helps keep economy on course
Total foreign direct investment receipts have remained consistent over the past five years, according to a new government report that incorporates central bank data. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/steady-fdi-helps-keep-economy-course
MFIs seek ministry support
The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) is planning to form a joint committee chaired by government officials and microfinance institutions (MFIs) to promote small loan disbursements as the new 18 percent loan interest rate cap takes effect, according to an announcement released by the ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/mfis-seek-ministry-support
Banking shows steady growth
Cambodia’s financial sector saw healthy growth last year with increased deposits and profits amid slower credit growth, reflecting sustainable development and increased public confidence in the sector, according to a recently released central bank report. ...
Hor Kimsay and Matthieu de Gaudemar
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/banking-shows-steady-growth
Traders urged to use riel
In an effort to boost the use of the riel, private companies have called on the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) to ensure that all goods worth less than $100 are priced in riel. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36683/traders-urged-to-use-riel/
Wing promotes Khmer riel circulation among its customers
Made by Cambodians for Cambodians, Wing (Cambodia) Limited Specialized Bank, the leading mobile banking services provider in Cambodia, is proud to join the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) in promoting Khmer Riel usage among its customers across the country by establishing service charges, as well ...
Khmer Times Team
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36594/wing-promotes-khmer-riel--circulation-among-its-customers/
IFC to boost corporate governance
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) launched a corporate governance initiative yesterday aimed at enhancing the efficiency of Cambodia’s private sector to strengthen the business climate and spur foreign investment and job creation, it said in a release. ...
Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/ifc-boost-corporate-governance
Central bank sets interest rate ceiling, sparking fears
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. ...
Hang Sokunthea
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/central-bank-sets-interest-rate-ceiling-sparking-fears-126483/
Developing society and infrastructure
Two images on the back of the 500 riel banknote depict bridges, with the one on the left showing the Kingdom’s longest and most modern bridge, the Tsubasa (“Bird’s Wing”) Bridge linking Kandal and Prey Veng provinces. ...
Riel Gains
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36412/developing-society--and-infrastructure/
Sathapana Bank proceeds with logo change
Sathapana Bank has pre-emptively removed its signature golden lion logo from all 162 branches nationwide as the private bank aims to deflect government criticism and avoid confusion as being identified as a state-owned institution, a bank executive said yesterday. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/sathapana-bank-proceeds-logo-change
Cambodia is ‘handicapped’ by dollarization
Cambodia is handicapped by the dollarization of its economy in three ways, according to Kith Sovannarith, Deputy Director General of Banking Supervision at the National Bank of Cambodia. ...
Riel Gains
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36365/cambodia-is----handicapped----by-dollarization/
Transaction costs: Saving time and money
ambodia’s 700,000 garment workers are among those most affected by exchange-rate costs. Their monthly salaries are paid in US dollars, but most of their daily transactions are in riels. Moreover, because they send – on average – about 30 percent of their salaries back to ...
Khmer Times
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36268/transaction-costs--saving-time-and-money/
New banknotes signal revival of national pride
In his office at the National Bank of Cambodia, Mr. Heng Bomakara recalls the early stages of the nation’s currency with fondness. He still remembers a time when coins were commonplace. First minted in aluminum and then later in steel, these coins are now a ...
Riel Gains
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36156/new-banknotes-signal-revival-of-national-pride/
BRED bank to carve out a niche in the market
Bred Banque Populaire – part of the second-largest banking group in France – officially launched operations in Cambodia yesterday after a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its headquarters, marking the first venture of a European bank in the Kingdom since the late 1990s. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/bred-bank-carve-out-niche-market
Schools promote financial literacy
In an effort to promote financial literacy to students in primary and secondary schools, the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport yesterday officially launched the “Let’s Talk Money” comic book. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/35956/schools-promote-financial-literacy/
PM orders another logo change
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday ordered microfinance institute (MFI) Prasac, one of the largest in Cambodia, to change its logo immediately for fear that the public may confuse it as representing the government. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/35753/pm-orders-another-logo-change/
Industry leaders voice concern over sky-high cost of electricity
Private sector industry leaders speaking at an investment conference yesterday in the capital railed on the high cost of electrical power, which they said was sapping their competitiveness, while state officials offered assurances that state-backed power generation schemes would soon bring prices down. ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/industry-leaders-voice-concern-over-sky-high-cost-electricity
Interbank lending gains traction
The central bank’s efforts to foster development of an interbank lending market appears to be taking off as the demand for negotiable certificates of deposits (NCDs) increased sharply last year, with the financial tool seeing wider usage among the Kingdom’s financial institutions. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/interbank-lending-gains-traction