Synopsis: The initiative aims to boost financial literacy, promote responsible practices and gather feedback to strengthen consumer protections.

The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) and banking sector partners have urged the public to strengthen their awareness of the risks associated with informal lending and digital financial services, as the Kingdom accelerates its financial sector digitalisation.

The call was made during a financial literacy and consumer protection workshop held in Prasat Sambour district, Kampong Thom province, on Monday, bringing together government officials, financial sector representatives and local residents to promote responsible financial practices and strengthen consumer protection.

The workshop was presided over by NBC Assistant Governor and Director-General of Regulation and Financial Inclusion Lay Sokheng and Deputy Governor of Prasat Sambour district Yin Bunsat.

Representatives from the district administration, local gendarmerie forces, district police, the Association of Banks in Cambodia (ABC), the Cambodia Microfinance Association (CMA), the Financial Consumer Protection Center, local residents and representatives of banking and financial institutions also attended the session.

“The initiative aimed to improve public understanding of financial services, encourage transparent and responsible financial practices and gather feedback to support the development of stronger consumer protection policies,” ABC said.

During the workshop, Dith Sochal, a council member and management representative of ABC, joined a panel discussion on “Financial Literacy and Customer Protection” alongside representatives from the NBC and CMA.

The discussion covered banking and financial services, the role of formal financial institutions, the importance of improving public financial literacy and the responsibility of financial institutions to ensure ethical and responsible service delivery.

Sochal also highlighted the risks posed by informal lending, limited financial literacy and the growing threats associated with digital financial services, stressing the need for continued public education and awareness campaigns.

He encouraged people to use financial services offered by properly licensed institutions, saying that choosing formal providers would help ensure legal protection and reduce potential financial risks.

The initiative comes amid the rapid digital transformation of Cambodia’s financial landscape, where the expansion of mobile payments and digital banking has significantly widened access to financial services.

According to the NBC’s biannual report released in July, Cambodia’s banking and financial sector recorded modest credit growth in the first half of 2026.

As of June 2026, outstanding loans increased 4.6% year-on-year to $64.2 billion, while customer deposits rose 4.4% to $64.4 billion, the report said.

However, the non-performing loan ratio climbed to 9.6%, up from 8.4% in June 2025, reflecting continued challenges in maintaining credit quality.

By mid-2026, Cambodia’s banking sector comprised 58 commercial banks, three deposit-taking microfinance institutions (MFIs), 85 non-deposit-taking MFIs, seven specialised banks and 88 rural credit institutions, according to the report.

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