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      Why Black Swan Summit Cambodia

      Nine centuries before Bakong processed its first transaction, Khmer engineers were already solving problems of scale that no one else in the region would attempt for a thousand years. At its height, Angkor was the largest city on Earth before the industrial age, sustained by a network of reservoirs and canals still studied today. Cambodia's modern institutions inherited that instinct: not to avoid a hard infrastructure problem, but to solve it once, at national scale.

      Cambodia's monetary history does not run in a straight line. The sea trading kingdom of Funan welcomed foreign coins fifteen centuries ago. Under French rule came the Indochinese piastre, an early monetary union that collapsed for ignoring local realities. Independence brought a national currency, then civil war drove inflation to 3,000%. In 1975 the Khmer Rouge dynamited the National Bank and abolished money altogether. For four years, Cambodia had no currency at all.

      Rebuilding started from zero. In 2006 the banking system counted barely 270,000 depositors. Today, in a country of 17.5 million people, it holds 23.7 million deposit accounts.

      Every year the Tonlé Sap reverses its course, and the flood becomes the source of life for millions. Cambodia has done the same in finance. That reversal is the black swan this Summit is about, and Black Swan Summit Cambodia is for emerging markets ready to make their own.

      What the Summit Delivers

      Two days, one objective: a blueprint any emerging market can use to build its own financial infrastructure.
      Build the Foundations
      Day one looks at how to build digital public infrastructure that is affordable and ready for the future, and the regulation that lets innovation serve everyone. Cambodia's own model is the working case study.
      Connect the Corridors
      Day two turns to the links between economies, with a spotlight on Southeast Asia and the Francophone world. The focus is the payment links and partnerships that let those markets trade and grow together.

      Summit Overview

      Hosted by

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      BSS Cambodia Website Images_Blank Logo 2
      National Bank of Cambodia
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      In Collaboration with

      The Association of Banks in Cambodia - 400 x 200
      BSS Cambodia Website Images_Blank Logo 2
      Cambodian Association of Finance and Technology
      BSS Cambodia Website Images_Blank Logo 2

      About the National Bank of Cambodia 

      The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), the nation's central bank, is the monetary and supervisory authority. The mission of the NBC is to determine and direct the monetary policy aimed at maintaining price stability in order to facilitate economic development within the framework of the kingdom's economic and financial policy. The NBC conducts this in consultation with the Royal Government and in consideration of the framework of the economic and financial policy of the kingdom. As the monetary authority, the NBC is the sole issuer of the Khmer riel, the national currency. In doing so, this helps maintain monetary stability.​

      As the supervisory authority, the NBC has the authority to license, delicense, regulate and supervise banks and financial institutions in Cambodia. The NBC also conducts regular economic and monetary analysis, publishes various publications, oversees the nation's payment systems, establishes balance of payments, and participates in the management of external debt claims.​

      About GFTN

      The Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN) is a Singapore headquartered organisation that leverages technology and innovation to create more efficient, resilient, and inclusive financial systems through global collaboration. GFTN is a not-for-profit organisation established by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in 2024.

      About The Association of Banks in Cambodia

      The purposes of The Association of Banks in Cambodia (the "Association") are to promote the development of the Cambodian financial system and to protect the legitimate interests of its members. The Association shall conduct its activities in close cooperation with local and international authorities, associations, organizations, and institutions, and shall serve as a channel of communication between those institutions and the banking community in furtherance of its mission.​

      About The Cambodian Association of Finance & Technology​

      The Cambodian Association of Finance & Technology (CAFT) is Cambodia's leading industry platform advancing digital finance, financial innovation, and cross-sector collaboration. CAFT convenes regulators, financial institutions, technology firms, investors, and startups to strengthen policy alignment and ecosystem development.​

      Its flagship platform, CamTech Summit, serves as a national forum connecting public and private sector leaders to drive practical outcomes in digital finance, cybersecurity, data governance, and inclusive growth. Through strategic partnerships, international delegations, and capacity-building initiatives, CAFT positions Cambodia within regional and global fintech networks while supporting the development of a secure, resilient, and future-ready financial system.​