No.22 Microfinance at a Crossroads in Cambodia: Toward Responsible and Sustainable Financial Inclusion

  • #Policy Notes
  • Cambodia’s microfinance sector has expanded financial inclusion, especially for rural households, low-income communities, farmers, small businesses, and women.
  • As the sector has grown, policy attention has increasingly focused on debt burdens, borrowers with multiple loans, informal credit, financial literacy, consumer protection, and alignment between growth and responsible financial inclusion objectives.
  • This policy note argues that Cambodia should move from credit expansion toward responsible and sustainable financial inclusion.
  • To preserve the benefits of microfinance while reducing its risks, key policy priorities include enhancing financial literacy, borrower support, responsible lending, consumer protection, debt-risk monitoring, and the careful use of regulation and digital finance.

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Authors
SAMRETH Sovannroeun, AIBA Daiju, Voeun Sok
Date of issuance
October 2026
Number of pages
9
Related areas
  • #Asia
Topics
  • #Economic Policy
  • #Poverty Reduction
Research area
Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction
Research project