5th Cambodia Banking Conference: “Setting Priorities for Financial Stability, Building Trust and Sustainable Growth”

The Association of Banks in Cambodia (ABC) held the two-day Cambodia Banking Conference 2026 on August 19 and 20 at Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel under the theme “Maintaining Stability, Strengthening Financial Integrity, Trust and Confidence in the Banking System.” The conference brought together more than 860 participants, including representatives of regulators, the government, banking and financial institutions, development partners, ASEAN banks and technology companies, to discuss and set priorities for the next growth cycle of Cambodia’s banking sector.

Rath Sophoan, Chairman of the Association of Banks in Cambodia (ABC), said that despite the property sector being in a period of change, pressure on asset quality and increasingly complex cybersecurity risks, Cambodia’s banking sector remained resilient and strong. He also noted that the next growth cycle would depend on proactive risk management, prudent provisioning, responsible lending and close cooperation between regulators and industry partners.

Through two presentations, seven panel discussions and presentations by Asian Development Bank (ADB) partners, participants discussed the sector’s transition from resilience to responsible growth. The first day of the conference focused on asset quality adjustments, resolving distressed assets, financial integrity, consumer protection and secure payment systems. The second day focused on financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), trade, agriculture, sustainable finance, skills and the leadership needed to achieve the sector’s priorities for 2027.

Zarad Jain, Mastercard’s Country Manager for Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, said: “Against a backdrop of global economic uncertainty and increasingly complex digital systems, the banking sector faces two important tasks at the same time: driving economic growth while maintaining stability and trust. As Cambodia enters a new economic growth cycle, strengthening financial integrity, digital resilience and customer trust is essential to ensuring that people and businesses can participate safely in the digital economy. Mastercard remains committed to working closely with all stakeholders to promote secure payment systems, prevent fraud and cyberattack risks, and help make the banking sector more resilient, innovative and well positioned for long-term economic growth.”