International visitors to Cambodia will be able to enjoy seamless transactions using the Bakong mobile payment system, the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) said.

NBC will launch a Bakong payment system for tourists to make it easier for them in making transaction in Cambodia, said NBC Governor H.E Dr. Chea Serey in the first half-year meeting of the National Bank held on July 19.

‘We will put Bakong into for foreign tourists. When they come to Cambodia, they can download App Bakong and enjoy seamless transactions,’ she said.

Developed by NBC in partnership with Japanese tech firm Soramitsu, Bakong allows Cambodians to transfer and receive digital funds using their smartphones without traditional bank accounts.

The NBC has been pursuing central bank digital currency integration with its next-door neighbours Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos with varying degrees of success.

Even if foreign tourists do not have a local bank account to withdraw money in their e-wallet, they can use a credit card from their home co
untry such as Visa Card, Master Card or UnionPay to pay for goods and services in Cambodia, the governor added.

This will not only give tourists a new experience in cash digital experience in Cambodia, but it will address some of the challenges in the tourism sector, she said.

In the first five months of this year, Cambodia received some 2.9 million in international tourists, up 22.1 percent from the same period in 2023.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse