National Bank of Cambodia

What National Bank of Cambodia does

The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) is Cambodia's central bank, established on December 23, 1954, and headquartered in Phnom Penh. It operates as an autonomous public entity with statutory authority over currency issuance (Khmer Riel), monetary policy formulation, and banking sector supervision, governed by a seven-member Board of Directors with a Governor appointed by royal decree. The NBC serves two primary constituencies: the general public (currency exchange, financial literacy through the Let's Talk Money campaign) and Cambodia's regulated financial institutions (commercial banks, MDIs, MFIs, leasing companies, payment service providers, credit bureaus, rural credit institutions, and foreign exchange businesses). It maintains price stability with annual average inflation managed below 5 percent and operates a managed floating exchange rate regime in a highly dollarized economy.

The NBC's technology infrastructure centers on three systems. The NBC Platform (NBCP) is an electronic system for custody and trading of Negotiable Certificates of Deposit (NCDs) and interbank transactions (LPCO, MLF, overdraft), with NBC Platform V2 deploying blockchain for securities management. Bakong is the national digital payment system enabling cross-border QR code payments with India, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, UnionPay International, and Ant International/Alipay+, plus the Bakong Tourists App for inbound visitors (integrated with Visa and Mastercard). Fast Payment provides real-time Khmer Riel fund transfers across 13 member institutions including ACLEDA, Canadia, and ABA, with tiered processing fees (4,000 to 12,000 Riel) and a 40-million-Riel transaction cap.

The NBC does not generate commercial revenue from product sales. Its funding derives from central banking functions — seigniorage, foreign reserve management, and minor transaction processing fees — and it submits policy and mission reports to both the National Assembly and the Royal Government. The organization has 552 employees and pursues an active international partnership agenda, with MoUs across ASEAN, Northeast Asia, the Pacific, and Africa, positioning Bakong as a regional interoperability hub.

Name

National Bank of Cambodia

Legal name

National Bank of Cambodia

Website

https://nbc.gov.kh

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The National Bank of Cambodia is Cambodia's central bank, founded 1954, with statutory authority to issue the Khmer Riel, conduct monetary policy, and supervise the banking sector. It operates the NBC Platform (blockchain-based securities infrastructure), the Bakong cross-border QR payment system, and Fast Payment, serving the general public and 13+ regulated financial institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Central Banking

NAICS

Monetary Authorities-Central Bank (521110)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAEAB

Treasury & Cash Management

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Public Finance, Treasury & Procurement

SECONDARYBPAIAEAC

Public Debt Management

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Public Finance, Treasury & Procurement

SECONDARYBPAIAEAD

Government Accounting & Financial Reporting

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Public Finance, Treasury & Procurement

Keywords

• Central banking services
• Monetary policy instruments
• National payment systems
• Banking sector supervision
• Cross-border QR payments

Headquarters

HQ city

Phnom Penh

HQ country

Cambodia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The National Bank of Cambodia is Cambodia's central bank, holding exclusive authority to issue the Khmer Riel, formulate and implement monetary policy, supervise banks and financial institutions, and operate the national payment system. It provides monetary policy instruments (Negotiable Certificates of Deposit, Marginal Lending Facility, Liquidity Providing Collateralized Operation), electronic securities custody and trading infrastructure (NBC Platform with blockchain), and operates the Bakong national digital payment system with cross-border QR connectivity to multiple Asian countries.

Product overview

National Bank of Cambodia operates as Cambodia's central bank, providing monetary policy instruments, payment systems, and financial services. The core product portfolio includes: NBC Platform (NBCP) - an electronic securities management and interbank transaction system with blockchain capability; Bakong - a national digital currency and cross-border QR payment system; Fast Payment - instant Khmer Riel fund transfer service across 13 member institutions; Negotiable Certificates of Deposit (NCDs) and Marginal Lending Facility (MLF) as monetary policy instruments for liquidity management; and the Let's Talk Money financial literacy campaign. The NBC Platform (NBCP) serves as the foundational electronic infrastructure connecting banking institutions for trading and custody operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NBC Platform (NBCP) Electronic securities custody and trading system used by the National Bank of Cambodia for Negotiable Certificates of Deposit (NCDs) and other interbank transactions, including Liquidity Providing Collateralized Operation (LPCO), Marginal Lending Facility (MLF), and overdraft operations. The NBC Platform V2 uses Blockchain technology for trading securities management and is offered to regulated banks and financial institutions.
• Bakong Payment System National digital currency and payment system enabling domestic QR payments and cross-border QR code-based payments between Cambodia and partner countries including India, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, UnionPay International, Mastercard, Visa, and Alipay+ supported merchants. The Bakong Tourists App enables international visitors to make payments in Cambodia.
• Fast Payment Real-time fund transfer and payment service in Khmer Riel across banking and microfinance institutions, enabling customers to receive funds immediately. Available through 13 member institutions including ACLEDA, Canadia, ABA, and others. Processing fees are charged on a tiered basis by transaction amount, with a maximum transaction cap of 40 million Khmer Riel.
• Negotiable Certificates of Deposit (NCDs) Central bank bills issued by the National Bank of Cambodia to absorb liquidity from the banking system. Act as a low-risk collateral instrument, tradable in secondary markets, and used for interbank lending and NBC operations including Liquidity Providing Collateralized Operation (LPCO) and Marginal Lending Facility (MLF).
• Marginal Lending Facility (MLF) Short-term liquidity facility providing funds to financial institutions at fixed interest rates with one-day (overnight) maturity. Operates on business days to facilitate efficient Khmer Riel liquidity management for regulated financial institutions.
• Liquidity Providing Collateralized Operation (LPCO) Seven-day liquidity operation introduced in August 2023 to provide liquidity to financial institutions using Negotiable Certificates of Deposit or government bonds as collateral. Available to regulated banks and financial institutions.
• Let's Talk Money Campaign Financial education initiative implemented in partnership with Good Return Australia to promote discussion among Cambodians about financial issues affecting their everyday lives. The campaign includes educational videos, public service announcements, discussion guides, and outreach materials aimed at improving financial literacy across the country.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TenPay GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2025Partnership for cross-border QR payment connectivity, signing MoU for enhanced cooperation in payment systems.
• UnionPay InternationalcoreTechnology or Integration · 12 November 2025Bakong Outward Cross-Border Payment enabling Cambodian users to scan UnionPay QR codes abroad.
• Monetary Authority of SingaporecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 July 2025Financial Transparency Corridor initiative between Cambodia and Singapore to support SMEs through enhanced financial cooperation.
• VISAcoreTechnology or Integration · 22 January 2025Launch of Bakong Tourists App with VISA to enable international visitors to make payments in Cambodia.
• MastercardcoreTechnology or Integration · 11 November 2024Launch of Bakong Tourists App with Mastercard for international payment acceptance.
• Ant International (Alipay+)coreTechnology or Integration · 14 October 2024Cross-border QR code payment connectivity between Cambodia and Alipay+ supported merchants.
• BNK Financial Group (South Korea)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 August 2024Cross-border payment project allowing Jeonbuk Bank mobile banking customers to scan Bakong (KHQR) codes of merchants in Cambodia.
• Banco Central De Timor-LesteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 July 2024Bilateral meeting and MoU signing for enhanced cooperation in banking and financial sector development.
• Bank Negara MalaysiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2024Partnership to strengthen regional cooperation in financial innovation and payments, including cross-border QR code payments.
• International Development Finance ClubminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 December 2023Cooperation agreement on development of Cambodia Green Finance Taxonomy and Market.
• Bank of JapancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2023MoU on unified QR code-based payment cooperation between KHQR and JPQR for cross-border payment connectivity.
• NPCI International Payment LimitedcoreTechnology or Integration · 17 April 2023MoU on cross-border payment and remittance cooperation for enhanced payment connectivity.
• National Bank of RwandaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2023MoU on cooperation in different areas of financial sector development.
• Central Bank of Solomon IslandsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2023MoU on cooperation in financial innovation and payment systems.
• Reserve Bank of FijiminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2023MoU on cooperation in financial innovation and payment systems.
• MaybankminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2019MoU to promote cross border payment and remittance between Cambodia and Malaysia.
• VisaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2019Alliance to advance financial literacy in Cambodia, supporting the Let's Talk Money campaign.
• IFC (International Finance Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2016Partnership to strengthen corporate governance in Cambodia's banking sector.
• Good Return AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2016Partnership for the Let's Talk Money campaign, a financial literacy initiative aimed at promoting discussion among Cambodians about financial issues affecting their everyday lives. The campaign includes educational videos, discussion guides, and outreach materials.
• Smart TelecomminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2016Official Telecom Partner for the Let's Talk Money campaign, supporting the financial literacy initiative through mobile outreach.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bank Indonesia: Indonesia's central bank operates BI-FAST (a fast payment system analogous to NBC's Fast Payment) and QRIS (an interoperable QR system analogous to Bakong). Both central banks are pursuing cross-border QR connectivity across ASEAN.
• Bank of Thailand: Thailand's central bank and NBC's first cross-border QR partner (since 2020). Both operate national payment systems, FX reserves management, and supervisory frameworks for similar emerging Southeast Asian banking sectors.
• Reserve Bank of India: India's central bank, which signed a 2023 cross-border payment MoU with NBC and is launching Cambodia-India QR payments in 2026. RBI operates comparable UPI real-time payment infrastructure and is pursuing bilateral cross-border payment connectivity globally.
• Bank of Korea: South Korea's central bank, with a 2024 cross-border payment project enabling Jeonbuk Bank customers to scan Bakong (KHQR) codes. Comparable as an advanced central bank pursuing cross-border payment interoperability with ASEAN.
• Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS): Singapore's central bank and integrated financial regulator, with a 2025 Financial Transparency Corridor MoU with NBC. MAS is a regional payments hub and a key counterparty in NBC's cross-border initiatives, making it both a comparable and a strategic partner.
• Bank of Japan: Japan's central bank, counterparty in the 2023 KHQR-JPQR unified QR code cooperation MoU. Comparable as an advanced central bank with a sophisticated blockchain research agenda, though BoJ operates at significantly larger scale.
• Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP): The Philippines' central bank operates a similar mandate to NBC, including the InstaPay and PESONet real-time payment systems. BSP and NBC both manage heavily dollarized/internationally-linked economies and pursue peer-to-peer digital payment initiatives.
• Bank Negara Malaysia: Malaysia's central bank with a directly comparable mandate — monetary policy, banking supervision, and payment systems. BNM has signed a 2024 cross-border QR MoU with NBC and operates analogous liquidity and payment infrastructure, making it a near-perfect functional peer.
• State Bank of Vietnam: Vietnam's central bank, a regional neighbor with comparable monetary policy and payment system responsibilities. Both operate in rapidly-growing Southeast Asian economies with active banking supervision and payment infrastructure modernization agendas.

Broad incumbents

• People's Bank of China (PBoC): China's central bank is a regional counterpart — accessible to Cambodia via UnionPay and Ant International integrations — but operates at vastly larger scale and with broader monetary authority across the world's second-largest economy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nbccambodia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3GoCm_QGSSLjXZXvbcATfA
• Facebookfacebook.com/nationalbankofcambodiaofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-bank-of-cambodia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Bank of Cambodia