Cambodia's Online Scam Crackdown Boosts Investor Confidence, Diversifies Capital

PHNOM PENH, July 29, 2026 (KPT) – Cambodia’s intensified crackdown on online scam operations is helping restore investor confidence while reducing reliance on Chinese capital, Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol said last Friday, as the government seeks to attract a broader mix of foreign investors. Chanthol told Bloomberg the campaign to dismantle scam compounds was already improving Cambodia’s image during recent investment promotion missions to Japan, South Korea and China. “Our Prime Minister called the scam centers a black economy,” he said. “They do not produce any benefit to our economy. On the contrary, they affect our ability to attract good investors and tourists.” Authorities say nearly 2,800 suspects have been prosecuted and more than 21,000 foreign nationals deported in the past year, with 665 sites raided and hundreds permanently sealed. Chanthol said firm action against online scams had reassured prospective investors. “When I informed them that we have a total commitment to eradicate the online scam, and they also read the newspapers, they felt more confident to consider investing in Cambodia,” he added. The Council for the Development of Cambodia approved 414 projects worth $6.9 billion in 2024, rising to 630 projects valued at $10 billion in 2025. In the first half of 2026, 276 projects worth $4.7 billion were approved, with officials hoping for more in the second half despite global uncertainties. Chanthol noted China’s share of approved investment fell to 35 percent in early 2026, down from 54 percent in 2025, as Cambodia attracted a wider range of investors. He said the country aims to become a regional manufacturing and logistics hub, leveraging liberal investment laws, tax holidays and pro‑business policies while diversifying into higher‑value industries.