Inside ACLEDA: Cambodia’s Most Established Bank—Powerful, Practical, and Problematic
ACLEDA is Cambodia’s most entrenched bank. Foreigners can open wallets remotely, access USD/KHR, and upgrade to full accounts fast. Its dominance continues, but growth has slowed as rivals like Wing and ABA push harder on innovation.
Why ABA Sets the Standard for Banking in Cambodia—But Doesn’t Get a Free Pass
ABA is the most operationally competent bank in Cambodia. Fast onboarding, digital dominance, and QR ubiquity set it apart—but interbank friction and overstated cross-border promises mean it still deserves scrutiny.
Broken at the Border: Why the Bakong Tourists App Fails Foreigners.
Cambodia’s Bakong QR system works well—unless you’re a tourist. The Bakong Tourists app is plagued by broken Visa integration, high fees, and forced currency conversion. Here’s why it fails foreigners and which alternatives actually work.
Cambodia Public Bank Is Not Cambodian
What happens when a nation’s banking system is foreign-owned but locally branded? Cambodia’s financial sovereignty may be more illusion than reality.
The Deposit Insurance Illusion: Why It’s Mostly Marketing
Deposit insurance is marketed as a safeguard, but it rarely protects large depositors. Cambodia lacks a formal scheme, yet as Silicon Valley Bank showed, real security comes from government intervention, not coverage limits.
Where the Smart Money Moves: The Banking Nerd Mission
Southeast Asia’s banking access is tightening, but Cambodia remains a rare opportunity. With 63 banks and deposit rates up to 8%, here’s where smart money moves.
