Background
The Trust Regulator (TR) is the national authority responsible for registering, supervising and developing the trust sector in Cambodia.
Trust registration establishes a legally recognised trust vehicle that places a fund under the TR’s administrative and compliance framework and subjects it to the sector’s laws and regulations.
On 10 July 2026, Ms. CHHEAN Sokhary (Director, Department of Legal Affairs and Inspection) and Ms. SIN Somalay (Deputy Director, Department of Trust Registration), accompanied by colleagues and acting with the authority of the Director-General, received a technical delegation from the Entrepreneurship Development Fund (EDF) to review the feasibility and requirements for registering EDF as a trust. The discussion covered the technical and legal requirements for trust registration and the design of an EDF investment platform targeting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and startups, with an expressed goal of aligning operations with trust mechanisms and enhancing contributor confidence.
Scope of Application
The scope covers entities that intend to operate as funds or investment vehicles under the legal form of a trust and that seek registration, oversight, or guidance from the Trust Regulator. The engagement specifically addressed a development fund (EDF) and proposed investment activities aimed at MSMEs and startups; similar reviews apply to other public-interest or development-oriented funds considering trust registration.
Key Provisions or Decisions
Participants reviewed the procedural and technical requirements for trust registration, including documentation, governance structures, and compliance with applicable trust-sector regulations. Discussions also focused on design elements of an investment platform for EDF to channel support to MSMEs and startups while satisfying trust governance, reporting and contributor-protection expectations under the regulator’s mandate.
Implications for Investors, Businesses, or Compliance
Registration as a trust brings a fund under the Trust Regulator’s oversight and subjects fund governance and operations to the regulator’s administrative requirements. For investors and contributors, formal trust registration establishes a regulatory point of accountability and a defined compliance framework for fund management and reporting.
Official Source
Primary statement from the Trust Regulator: https://www.facebook.com/trustregulatorcambodia/posts/pfbid0fcppLo3xXLyc49Awu9JLYhDnCSWBGXiuTvV7cRx9BTPgb4YRqF5hQ4C1Fuhzye5bl
Trust Regulator official website: https://www.trustregulator.gov.kh
