Cambodian Public Bank Plc (Campu Bank) has, alongside its regular banking business, given its investor awareness programme top priority.

The Malaysian-owned bank has been instructing investors on the importance of the capital market and the benefits of investing in the stock exchange, using both traditional and digital platforms.

While the Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia (SECC) and the Cambodia Securities Exchange (CSX) spearhead the promotion of the capital market, Campu Bank is also playing its part by educating its customers.

“We assist our customers with trading and the know-how to participate in the capital market. Whenever we hold roadshows and other promotional activities, we never hesitate to include our wholly owned subsidiary Campu Securities Plc to conduct presentations to our customers.

“Be it in our corporate office or at our customers’ place, Campu Securities’ experienced staff will elaborate on the pros and cons of investing in the capital market,” Phan Ying Tong, regional head of Indo-China Operations, told The Post.

Campu Bank – a wholly owned subsidiary of Public Bank Group based in Malaysia – commenced business in 1992 and currently has 31 branches. Campu Securities Plc offers securities underwriting, dealing and brokerage.

In January, the SECC and the CSX accredited Campu Bank as a cash settlement agent – allowing it to participate in securities trading. The bank now joins three others – BIC (Cambodia) Bank Plc, Acleda Bank Plc and Canadia Bank Plc – as cash settlement agents in the Kingdom.

The bank is also in the process of transferring its products and services onto a digital platform to make it easier for banking transactions and securities trading to take place.

“As part of the medium term plan, we will capitalise on our robust mobile phone platform to allow investors to perform securities trading using the mobile app. This is one of our initiatives to promote the capital market in Cambodia.

“Another reason for us actively participating in the capital market is because we want to encourage our customers to use more Khmer riel in their businesses, trading and investments,” Phan said.

The forthcoming Acleda Bank initial public offering has sparked enthusiasm in the local bourse, and the sixth listing on the CSX could well be a catalyst for more in the future, he added.

“A lot of initiatives and measures have been taken by the SECC and the CSX to boost the market, and one of them is to invite more companies to list on the CSX, to issue more corporate shares or bonds on the CSX.

“The SECC and CSX have been very active in educational activities like conducting forums and promotional tours to encourage Cambodians to invest in the capital market. The performance of companies listed on the stock exchange has been stable over the years, and this is a positive sign that can instil investor confidence in the capital market – these are not fly-by-night companies.

“Cambodia is on the right track as the listing of corporate bonds is taking place.

“The Kingdom has good potential for the capital market as the country is fast growing with a young population, and the capital market is one avenue for established business concerns to raise capital or the funds needed to expand.

“Cambodia is a good alternative destination for investors in view of the abundant opportunities as an emerging market, with friendly investment policies for both foreign and local investors,” Phan said.