On July 17, 2023, the Credit Guarantee Corporation of Cambodia (CGCC) and Canadia Bank, one of the leading commercial banks in Cambodia, signed an agreement on Portfolio Guarantee Scheme to provide guaranteed loans to micro, small and medium enterprises for retail and wholesale businesses in the country.

The agreement between CGCC and Canadia Bank on Portfolio Guarantee Scheme aims to support business including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to enhance their quick access without CGCC evaluates on guarantee application from the Participating Financial Institution (PFI) to formal loans even without collateral or insufficient collateral pledges for both working capital and investment or business expansion. By leveraging their respective expertise, both institutions are committed to facilitating the growth and development of SMEs, which are vital contributors to Cambodia’s economy.

In 2021, Canadia Bank was one of the first banks to participate in the Business Recovery Guarantee Scheme (BRGS) led by CGCC under Cambodia’s government initiative to support the recovery of SMEs in various sectors during and post-pandemic. The Bank has been awarded by CGCC as one of the Top Performing Financial Institutions in Cambodia with the highest guaranteed loans disbursed with CGCC for 2022.

With its strong presence in the Cambodian financial sector, the agreement signed between CGCC and Canadia Bank will further enhance their credit cooperation which, in turn, will provide a positive impact to the SME ecosystem as well empower entrepreneurs by providing sustainable financial options for their business growth and expansion.

Mr. Raymond Sia, CEO and Board Director of Canadia Bank, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to collaborate with CGCC to further our commitment to supporting the growth of SMEs in Cambodia. With this agreement, Canadia Bank hopes that SMEs business owners will have more sustainable financial access to enhance their business capability and efficiency for more sustained operations.”

Mr. Wong Keet Loong, CEO of Credit Guarantee Corporation of Cambodia, also excited of the cooperation. He said “This Portfolio Guarantee Scheme (PGS) is targeted specifically for businesses under the Retail and Wholesale Trade sector. It is designed to enhance lending to enable MSMEs in this sector to grow their business.  The PGS reinforces both CGCC and Canadia Bank’s commitment to support the growth of MSMEs, which are vital contributors to Cambodia’s economy and employment opportunities.”

“Canadia Bank has been the top provider of guaranteed loans and this partnership will further solidify the Bank’s position as a trusted and reliable source of financing for businesses in this sector.  This joint effort will further cement our commitment to improve financial inclusion and sustainable growth of MSMEs,” he added.

About Canadia Bank

Canadia Bank is a leading local and full-service commercial bank in Cambodia since 1991 and one of the largest commercial banks that holds commanding market shares in loans and deposits. In 2023, Canadia Bank was awarded “Best Retail Bank” by The Asian Banker and “The Best SME Bank” by the Digital Banker. The Bank has been recognized and awarded by The Asian Banker as “The Strongest Bank by Balance Sheet in Cambodia in 2019,” the “Best Managed Bank in 2022”, and “The Best Retail Bank” for 3 consecutive awarding years in 2020, 2021, and 2023.

As of April 2023, Canadia Bank has 68 branches and more than 400 self-service digital devices across Cambodia, such as ATMs, Cash Recycling Machines, Virtual Teller Machines, and Smart Card-Issuing Machines. For more information, please visit our website, www.canadiabank.com.kh.

About CGCC

CGCC is the first-ever credit guarantee corporation in Cambodia, established by the decision of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister as a state-owned enterprise under the technical and financial guidance of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. CGCC’s main mission is to provide credit guarantees to lenders on loans made to businesses based on international standards to share the risk with lenders and to improve financial inclusion.