# Cambodia

 Country code: KH · Currency: KHR · Language: Khmer

**Pros**
- Competitive corporate tax rates and significant tax exemptions for strategic investment projects
- Extensive dollarization of the economy to minimize currency risk and simplify international transactions
- Relatively open markets with few restrictions on foreign capital and business ownership

**Cons**
- Pervasive corruption within the judiciary and bureaucracy to undermine legal protections and contract enforcement
- Inadequate infrastructure and high energy costs to increase the overall expense of doing business
- Weak rule of law and risks of arbitrary state intervention in private business activities

Long story short: In Cambodia, official taxes are light, but everything gets negotiated under the table, from building permits to visa renewals. Corruption is the real local tax here, quiet and constant.

The upside: you can set up a company in three days, keep your dollars with no exchange controls, in an economy that's been running full throttle for a decade.

Other than that: decent infrastructure in Phnom Penh, rough everywhere else, a young but stable banking system thanks to the dollar, easy security in the nice neighborhoods, great food, and stunning scenery from Angkor to the coast.

## Will your income be taxed?

Long story short: YES, FAIRLY.
**Cambodia** takes an intermediate **20%** off personal income, paired with a residency test that leaves you alone.

You won't fall into the net by accident. But once you're in, the cut is no rounding error.

**01.1 Income tax**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income tax | 0 → 20% | progressive · 5 brackets |

| Bracket (USD) | Rate |
| --- | --- |
| 0 – 370 | exempt |
| 371 – 494 | 5% |
| 494 – 2,099 | 10% |
| 2,100 – 3,087 | 15% |
| 3,088 + | 20% |

**01.2 Tax residence test**

_A single active rule is enough to make you tax-resident._

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 183-day rule | exists here |  |
| Economic interest | does not exist here |  |
| Family centre | does not exist here |  |
| Habitual abode | exists here |  |
| Extended-stay test | does not exist here |  |

## Will your wealth be taxed?

Long story short: NO.
**Cambodia** keeps its hands off what you hold. *No capital gains tax*, no annual wealth grab, no inheritance regime.

Your portfolio compounds in peace and leaves the way it came in; nobody's standing at the door with their palm out.

**02.1 Investment income**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Capital gains | NONE | progressive |
| Dividend tax | NONE | flat |
| Interest income | NONE | flat |

**02.2 Wealth & estate**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wealth tax | NONE | no annual wealth tax · no real-estate wealth tax · no net-worth assessment |
| Inheritance system | NONE | no estate tax · no heir-based duties · no succession tax framework. Wealth transfers across heir-classes are not taxed in this jurisdiction. Only standard probate / registration fees may apply. |

**02.3 Crypto**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Crypto · tax regime | UNREGULATED | Fallback rate: 20% · Cryptocurrency trading and circulation are officially illegal without a license per the 2018 NBC/SECC/Police Joint Statement. No specific crypto tax law exists, but the General Department of Taxation applies general income tax rules (up to 20%) to all global income for residents. Capital Gains Tax (20%) is currently delayed until 2025. Source: https://www.nbc.gov.kh/download_files/news_and_events/khmer/Joint-Statement-on-Crypto-Currency-Eng.pdf |
| Crypto-to-crypto | TAXABLE | each swap counts as a disposal — gains realised at every trade |
| FATF travel rule | NOT SIGNED | no information-sharing obligation on VASP transfers |

## Easy to run a company there?

Long story short: NO.
Corporate tax in **Cambodia** is **20%**, but the rate isn't what hurts. *Misuse of corporate assets is a criminal offense*; the textbook case is the French *abus de biens sociaux*: spend your own company's money on yourself and you can end up prosecuted, even as sole shareholder, because the company is a separate legal person and your consent means nothing.

And the *registries are public*: your name as shareholder, free to browse.

For an owner-operator, those two together weigh far more than the rate, and unlike the rate they don't negotiate. Run it clean and you're fine; run it casually and you'll get burned.

**03.1 Rates**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Corporate tax | 20% | progressive |
| VAT standard rate | 10% | single rate · no reduced tiers |

| VAT family | Category | Rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Food & drink | food | 10% |
| Food & drink | non-alcoholic | 10% |
| Food & drink | alcohol | 10% |
| Print media | books | 10% |
| Print media | ebooks | 10% |
| Print media | newspapers | 10% |
| Culture | cultural events | 10% |
| Culture | cinema | 10% |
| Culture | theatre | 10% |
| Culture | museums | 10% |
| Culture | sports | 10% |
| Transport | public transit | 10% |
| Transport | rail | 10% |
| Transport | air | 10% |
| Hospitality | hotels | 10% |
| Hospitality | restaurants | 10% |
| Hospitality | takeaway | 10% |
| Health | pharma | 10% |
| Health | medical dev. | 10% |
| Energy | natural gas | 10% |
| Energy | district heat. | 10% |
| Energy | domestic fuel | 10% |
| Utilities | waste | 10% |
| Clothing | kids clothing | 10% |
| Digital & telecom | digital | 10% |
| Digital & telecom | telecom | 10% |
| Digital & telecom | broadcast | 10% |
| Construction | construction | 10% |
| Construction | social housing | 10% |
| Agriculture | farm inputs | 10% |
| Agriculture | animal feed | 10% |
| Personal services | funeral | 10% |
| Personal services | hairdressing | 10% |

**03.2 Regime & registry**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| IP Box · Patent Box | NONE | no IP regime · IP income taxed under standard corporate rules |
| Misuse of corporate assets | CRIMINAL | criminal liability · Article 396 of the Penal Code (2009) · Cambodia follows the civil law principle of the 'Autonomy of the Legal Entity,' meaning a company is a distinct legal person separate from its shareholders. Under Article 396 of the Penal Code (Breach of Special Trust by a Governor or other Persons), a director or 'governor' who misappropriates company assets for personal gain or to the detriment of the entity commits a criminal offense. Because the company's patrimony is legally separate, the sole shareholder's consent does not legalize the act, as it is considered a breach of trust against the entity itself, regardless of the company's solvency. |
| Shareholders privacy | PUBLIC | Ministry of Commerce (MOC) Business Registration |
| Directors privacy | PUBLIC | Ministry of Commerce (MOC) Business Registration |

**03.3 Incorporation cost**

_In this country, the most standard company form is called ក្រុមហ៊ុនឯកជនទទួលខុសត្រូវមានកម្រិត (Private Limited Company). The costs below are for incorporating a company in its simplest form, for reference only._

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ministry of Commerce (MoC) Registration Fee | USD 532 |  |
| Company Name Reservation Fee | USD 25 |  |
| Corporate Seal and Official Stamp | USD 25 |  |
| Ministry of Labour (MLVT) Opening of Enterprise Registration | USD 49 |  |
| Initial Patent Tax (Medium Taxpayer Classification) | USD 296 |  |
| Professional Incorporation Service and Legal Fees | USD 1,482 |  |
| Total | USD 2,409 |  |

## A good fit for a holding?

Long story short: NOT REALLY.
**Cambodia** is a structurally weak holding base: a measly **1** treaties and no participation exemption to soften the domestic layer.

Cross-border dividends get clipped at every step of the journey. Keep walking.

**04.1 Substance & exemptions**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Territorial · individuals | WORLDWIDE | worldwide income taxation regardless of source |
| Territorial · corporates | WORLDWIDE | worldwide corporate taxation |
| Participation exemption | NONE | no dividend participation exemption regime |
| CFC rules | NONE | no controlled foreign corporation regime · foreign-source corporate income out of scope |

**04.2 Withholding tax · non-resident**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| WHT · dividends | 14% | non-resident outbound |
| WHT · interest | 14% | non-resident outbound |
| WHT · royalties | 14% | non-resident outbound |
| Tax-haven WHT | NONE | no punitive rate on record |

**04.3 Treaty network**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Treaties signed | 1 | active |
| Treaties pending | — | in negotiation |

## Easy to come and go?

Long story short: SOME.
**Cambodia** taxes your worldwide income while you're resident, but at least the exit is free: *no exit tax* on the way out.

Leaving costs you paperwork, not money; your unrealised gains walk out the door with you, untouched.

**05.1 Exit & dual nationality**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Exit tax | NONE | no triggers active · residence change tax-free · no deemed-disposal mechanism |
| Dual citizenship | ALLOWED | naturalised citizens may keep their existing nationality |

**05.2 Citizenship paths**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Residence | 7 years | available path to naturalisation |
| Marriage | 3 years | available path to naturalisation |
| Birth | jus soli | available path to naturalisation |
| Descent | — | not available |
| Investment | — | not available |

## Is your money watched?

Long story short: NO.
Foreign tax offices see next to nothing of what you do in **Cambodia**: it has signed *few exchange frameworks*.

But the *corporate registries are public*: your shareholdings and directorships are one search away for anyone curious. Invisible from abroad, on display at home.

**Multilateral reporting frameworks — 2/9 active · 1 pending**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CRS | None | — |
| CARF | None | — |
| FATCA | In force | 2014 |
| MLI | None | — |
| BEPS | None | — |
| MAAC | None | — |
| GLOBAL FORUM | Signed | — |
| EOIR | In force | — |
| CRYPTO TRAVEL RULE | None | — |

## Is it blacklisted?

Long story short: NO.
**Cambodia** sits on no major blacklist, though it's *outside* the FATF club.

Some counterparties will run a bit of extra due diligence out of habit, but there's no formal stigma: you won't get hassled for dealing with it.

**Blacklist exposure — Clear everywhere**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| EMBARGO | Clear | un / us / eu sanctions |
| FATF | Clear | grey / black list |
| EU | Clear | non-cooperative list |
| FRANCE | Clear | ETNC list |
| SPAIN | Clear | tax-haven list |
| PORTUGAL | Clear | favourable regimes |
| BRAZIL | Clear | low-tax list |

## Do you feel free there?

Long story short: NO.
Press freedom in **Cambodia** is *locked down* (RSF rank **\#161**). Independent media and civic space operate under pressure (when they operate at all), and that kind of grip usually spills over into economic life too.

Small mercy: crypto isn't formally banned.

**08.1 Press freedom**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Press freedom · RSF index | 161/180 | score 28 · ↓ 10 ranks year-on-year |

Central bank digital currency

NONE

no announced CBDC program · no pilot · no retail or wholesale prototype on record

## Connected to the world?

Long story short: POORLY CONNECTED.
The two rails that matter are both dead in **Cambodia**. *Stripe* won't onboard you, so card payments mean a foreign structure or a local processor with its own rules. *Amazon* doesn't deliver either.

Some secondary services run (**4/11**), but for an online business this is swimming against the current.

**Accept payments — 2/6 available**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stripe | Not available | card payments |
| PayPal | Available | wallet payments |
| Adyen | Not available | enterprise psp |
| Mollie | Not available | eu payments |
| GoCardless | Not available | direct debit |
| Paddle | Available | merchant of record |

**Bank and move money — 1/3 available**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wise | Available | multi-currency |
| Revolut | Not available | personal banking |
| Revolut Business | Not available | business banking |

**Buy and sell on Amazon — 1/2 available**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Amazon | Not available | consumer delivery |
| Amazon Seller | Available | marketplace selling |

  SEE ALSO## Other jurisdictions worth comparing

Picked by similarity of strategic profile to Cambodia. No editorial ranking — neighbours in the same scoring space.

  PROFILE-ADJACENT Same shape, comparable overall friction.

 [   Dominican Republic DO  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/do) [   Cape Verde CV  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/cv) [   Mayotte YT  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/yt)

  NOTABLY MORE FAVORABLE Same family of strategies, higher total score.

 [   Albania AL  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/al) [   Serbia RS  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/rs) [   Kosovo XK  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/xk)

  NOTABLY LESS FAVORABLE Same family of strategies, lower total score.

 [   Guinea-Bissau GW  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/gw) [   Argentina AR  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/ar) [   Puerto Rico PR  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/pr)