Public and Private Sector Leaders Gather to Clarify Trust Taxation in Cambodia

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Public and Private Sector Leaders Gather to Clarify Trust Taxation in Cambodia
Public and Private Sector Leaders Gather to Clarify Trust Taxation in Cambodia./Image credit: EuroCham Cambodia.

EuroCham Cambodia and DFDL, in collaboration with the Trust Regulator, co-hosted a breakfast talk on the Taxation of Trusts in Cambodia at Raffles Hotel Le Royal, bringing together stakeholders from the legal, financial, and business communities for an in-depth discussion on Cambodia’s evolving trust framework.

The event came shortly after the release of Prakas 192 on Trust Taxation (March 2025), offering timely guidance to trustors, trustees, and beneficiaries navigating a growing trust sector now valued at over USD 1.47 billion. As the use of trusts expands across investment, estate planning, and charitable giving, the new regulations provide clarity on tax compliance, exemptions, and obligations under Cambodian law.

Opening remarks were delivered by H.E. Sok Dara, Director General of the Trust Regulator, who noted the strategic importance of the trust sector in Cambodia’s financial development and the government's efforts to ensure regulatory clarity and investor confidence.

“As the competent regulator, we are committed to implementing policies, strategies and action plans on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia to develop the trust sector in Cambodia," said H.E. Sok Dara, Trust Regulator. "We strongly believe that a regulated trust system will help to promote inflows of investment in all sectors of the economy, as well as financial diversification."

Image credit: EuroCham Cambodia.
Image credit: EuroCham Cambodia.

Presentations followed from:

  • Chhean Sokhary, Director of Legal Affairs and Inspection, Trust Regulator, who provided a detailed overview of recent legal developments and forthcoming trust regulations; and
  • Vajiravann Chamnan and Diberjohn Balinas, Tax Partners at DFDL, who presented the key features and implications of Prakas 192, covering taxable income for trustees, trust-level taxation, tax exemptions, and filing requirements.

A panel discussion moderated by Vansok Khem, Partner at DFDL, brought together perspectives from:

  • Chhean Sokhary, Trust Regulator
  • Vajiravann Chamnan, DFDL
  • Mar Amara, Senior Group Chief Finance Coordinator, ACLEDA
  • Diberjohn Balinas, DFDL

The speakers addressed real-world challenges such as the separation of trust assets, applicability of exemptions, and withholding tax obligations, highlighting the practical impacts on trust administration and compliance. They opened the floor for questions from the audience, addressing concerns around the updated law.

Image credit: EuroCham Cambodia.

“We were very pleased to see the heavy turnout at the event with more than 100 people attending," shared Vansok Khem. "The many follow-up questions on stamp duty and capital gain tax highlight the importance of the regulation to the relevant stakeholders in the trust sector. We believe there will be additional clarifications from the relevant authorities on these key topics as the commercial arrangements evolve. We appreciate EuroCham’s team for their excellent organisation of the event and the support from the Trust Regulator and ACLEDA Bank."

This event is part of EuroCham and DFDL’s ongoing commitment to promoting legal transparency and informed business practices in Cambodia’s financial sector.

This press release was supplied.


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