On 23 September 2026, the Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC) and the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) jointly issued a Statement on the Management of Virtual Assets and Virtual Asset Service Providers (Joint Statement), with the aim to provide guidance on the regulatory framework applicable to persons or entities providing services from within Cambodia, or offering services to persons or entities within Cambodia, in relation to Virtual Assets.
Below is a summary of the key aspects of the Joint Statement.
Background and Rationale
The NBC and the SERC have observed the rapid growth of virtual asset markets, used both as speculative investments and as a perceived means of payment. They flagged risks to macroeconomic stability, investor and consumer protection, market integrity, and financial crime, including fraud, price volatility, money laundering, sanctions evasion, terrorism financing, tax evasion and cyber-crime.
The Joint Statement builds on a 2018 statement by the SERC, NBC and General Commissariat of National Police, which warned of cryptocurrency risks and stated that unlicensed mobilization, buying, selling, trading or settlement of cryptocurrencies would be penalized under applicable law. The regulators noted these risks have since grown with the global expansion of Virtual Assets, their cross-border nature, and their growing links to mainstream finance.
At the same time, the Joint Statement recognizes that regulating Virtual Asset activities may boost market transparency, broaden access to financial services, support economic empowerment and contribute to public revenues, consistent with Cambodia’s Digital Economy and Society Policy Framework 2021-2035 and FinTech Development Policy 2023-2028.
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