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Forex license in Cambodia: SERC derivative broker licence.
A forex license in Cambodia is a derivative broker licence from the Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC) under Prakas No. 004/15, the 2015 regulation on derivative trading. Every broker works under a licensed central counterparty (CCP), and 10 of the 12 brokers listed on 23 October 2026 share one. Capital and fees are confirmed with the SERC before quoting. We build the file in Phnom Penh.
Updated · Reviewed by the Prifinance team
Forex license in Cambodia: SERC brokers trade through a licensed central counterparty.
Cambodia licenses leveraged FX and CFD trading as derivative trading, supervised by the SERC. The rulebook dates from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia (SECC), which the Law on Issuance and Trading of Non-Government Securities of 19 October 2007 created; prakas issued since 2022 carry the reference of the Non-Bank Financial Services Authority (NBFSA) instead. Prakas No. 004/15 of 2 July 2015 on the licensing and supervision of derivative trading, amended by Prakas No. 005/20 of 5 May 2020, licenses two roles. Trading runs through a central counterparty company, and a derivative broker works under one; the SERC's English register lists the brokers as agents of the CCP company. Prakas No. 013/20 of 10 December 2020 sets financial soundness requirements for both. Their duties to report, notify and request approval sit in Prakas No. 001/21 of 18 January 2021. No product reaches clients without SERC approval of its leverage and initial margin.
The market is small and concentrated. On the SERC's list of 23 October 2026, 10 of the 12 derivative brokers work under one CCP, Phnom Penh Derivative Exchange Plc., and 2 of the 5 CCPs are suspended with no brokers at all, so a new broker needs a CCP to work under or a CCP licence of its own. Leverage is approved product by product. FX CFDs stop at 1:100 (1% initial margin) on the three active CCPs and equity CFDs at 1:20, while one active CCP carries some index CFDs at 1:200. The derivatives prakas are published in Khmer, with no official English translation on the SERC's website, and the minimum capital, the SERC's fees and the licence term are confirmed with the SERC per case. The rulebook is moving as well: digital asset business got its prakas on 30 December 2025, AML/CFT sanctions on 6 February 2026 and introducing agents on 12 May 2026.
The SERC licenses derivative brokers and central counterparty (CCP) companies under Prakas No. 004/15, the 2015 derivatives regulation. On 23 October 2026 its list showed 5 CCPs, 3 of them active, and 12 brokers.
Each product is approved with its leverage: 1:100 on FX CFDs, up to 1:200 on some indices. Capital and fees come from the SERC per case; tax registration needs a real office.
A broker under a CCP, or a CCP of its own.
Prakas No. 004/15 licenses the two roles separately, and the SERC approves products and their leverage CCP by CCP. A broker joins one of those product lists. A CCP builds its own, and one CCP on the list, Gold Financial Global Investment, is also its own broker.
A broker under one of the 3 CCPs active in October 2026, or a CCP licence of its own.
The derivative broker under a CCP
A derivative broker licensed under Prakas No. 004/15 brings its clients to a CCP and offers the products the SERC has approved there, at the approved leverage. On the list of 23 October 2026, 10 brokers work under Phnom Penh Derivative Exchange Plc. and one under Golden Fortune Derivatives Exchange.
A derivative broker licensed under Prakas No. 004/15 brings its clients to a CCP and offers the products the SERC has approved there, at the approved leverage. On the list of 23 October 2026, 10 brokers work under Phnom Penh Derivative Exchange Plc. and one under Golden Fortune Derivatives Exchange.
- ✓Licence under Prakas No. 004/15
- ✓Works under an active CCP (3 in Oct 2026)
- ✓Products approved per CCP
- ✓FX CFDs at 1:100 · 1% initial margin
- ✓Financial soundness - Prakas No. 013/20
- ✓Reporting duties - Prakas No. 001/21
A CCP licence of its own
A CCP company holds the other licence under Prakas No. 004/15 and carries its own SERC-approved products. The five on the list differ: Golden Fortune lists AUS200 and NAS100 at 1:200 (0.5% margin), Gold Financial Global Investment is its own broker, and Cambodian Derivatives Exchange and Global Liquidity Exchange are suspended with no brokers.
A CCP company licence with its own SERC-approved products; one listed CCP is its own broker, two are suspended.
- ✓CCP company licence - Prakas No. 004/15
- ✓Own product list, approved by the SERC
- ✓Can be its own broker, as one CCP is
- ✓Index CFDs up to 1:200 at one active CCP
- ✓2 of 5 CCPs suspended, no brokers
- ✓Capital confirmed with the SERC in the quote
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. On top of the licence, the SERC charges service fees on derivative trades, which separate prakas reduced for 2018 and for 2019; the current rate goes into the quote.
Leverage approved per product, and a register a founder can check.
The SERC publishes who holds a licence and what each CCP may list at what margin; the trade-off is a market built around the three CCPs active in October 2026.
The SERC approves every instrument with an approved initial margin and an approved leverage, so FX CFDs carry the same 1:100 at each active CCP. Crude oil differs: 1% at Phnom Penh Derivative Exchange, 5% (1:20) at Golden Fortune.Approved margin for every instrument.
The SERC's list names each CCP, its status, its brokers and its approved products. On 23 October 2026 it held 5 CCPs and 12 derivative brokers, so a founder sees the whole field before picking a CCP.5 CCPs, 12 brokers, October 2026.
Approved CFDs cover currencies, precious metals, copper, crude oil, natural gas, indices and equity securities. The FX lists go past the majors to pairs such as USDCNH, USDHKD, USDSGD, USDTRY and USDZAR.Currencies, metals, energy, indices, equities.
An SECC notice to all derivative brokers makes every client training explain the regulator's role and clients' rights, including the right to complain to it at any time. Brokers show its address, contact details and complaint procedure.Clients may complain to the regulator.
Cambodian VAT is 0% on exports and on services rendered outside Cambodia, the GDT's guidance confirms, against 10% on taxable supplies at home. For a broker with clients abroad, we map where each service is rendered before launch.Services rendered outside Cambodia.
Ten of the 12 brokers listed on 23 October 2026 work under Phnom Penh Derivative Exchange Plc., and the two suspended CCPs carry none. A new broker cannot start without a CCP to work under, so we settle that question before the SERC file is written.One CCP: 10 of 12 brokers, October 2026.
How Cambodia differs from other routes.
Labuan, Singapore and Vanuatu print their entry figures: RM1,000,000 of paid-up capital for a Labuan money broker, S$1,000,000-S$5,000,000 of base capital for a MAS licence and a VT 5,000,000 deposit with the VFSC. Cambodia's capital figure is confirmed with the SERC per case. The CCP sets it apart: every broker trades through one, at leverage the SERC approved for each product.
| Feature | Cambodia | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | SERC derivative broker under a CCP | Labuan money broker · MAS CMS · VFSC dealer |
| Entry capital | Confirmed with the SERC per case | RM1M Labuan · S$1M-5M Singapore · VT 5M deposit Vanuatu |
| FX leverage | 1:100 approved per product | 100:1 cap Labuan · MAS margin rules Singapore |
| Timeline | Confirmed per case | 3-6 months Labuan · 6-12 months Singapore · ~3 weeks from a final file Vanuatu |
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
Cambodia | SERC derivative broker under a CCP | Rate per structure · VAT 10% | 1:100 FX CFDs, capital confirmed with the SERC |
Labuan | Money broking licence | 3% of audited profits | RM1M, office + staff, 100:1 |
Singapore | MAS CMS licence | 17% · exemptions | S$1M-5M base capital |
Vanuatu | VFSC Financial Dealer | No corporate income tax | VT 5M deposit, VT 500k a year |
Cambodia
Labuan
Singapore
VanuatuForex licences in neighbouring jurisdictions
All 79 forex licence jurisdictions →
How to start a forex brokerage: license, capital and steps →
Forex license requirements in Cambodia: what the SERC checks.Cambodia forex license requirements.
The SERC reads a derivatives file against Prakas No. 004/15 and the prakas built on it, while the company side runs through the Ministry of Commerce and the General Department of Taxation (GDT). The ten points follow the order in which they come up.
Reflects Prakas No. 004/15 as amended by Prakas No. 005/20, Prakas No. 013/20 and No. 001/21, the SERC's list of 23 October 2026 and the GDT's registration guidance, as of October 2026.Prakas 004/15, 005/20, 013/20 and 001/21, as of October 2026.
Official sources
Regulator pages, legal texts and public registers the figures on this page are based on.
- RegulatorSERC - Approved Derivatives: brokers, central counterparties, leverage and marginserc.gov.kh
- LawSERC prakas board - Prakas No. 004/15 on Licensing and Supervision of Derivative Tradingserc.gov.kh
- LawSERC prakas board - Prakas No. 013/20 on Financial Soundness of CCPs and Derivative Brokersserc.gov.kh
- LawGDT - Law and Provision: Law on Taxation NS/RKM/0523/004tax.gov.kh
- GuidanceGDT - Frequently Asked Questions (VAT, registration, minimum tax)tax.gov.kh
From the CCP choice to the SERC licence.
The client offer is mapped to products the SERC has already approved, CCP by CCP, and to the margin each one carries.Approved products mapped per CCP.
The company registers with the Ministry of Commerce and then with the GDT, filing the lease and a bank certificate; the GDT says tax registration can take up to 7 to 10 business days.Ministry of Commerce, then the GDT.
The licence file under Prakas No. 004/15 goes to the SERC with the capital plan for the SERC's minimum capital and Prakas No. 013/20 and the compliance officer's qualification.Prakas 004/15 application, capital plan.
Any product the chosen CCP does not yet carry goes to the SERC for an approved leverage and initial margin before clients see it.New products approved with their leverage.
Reporting, notification and approval requests under Prakas No. 001/21 start with the licence, and client training carries the complaint details.Prakas 001/21 reporting starts.
The SERC's timing is confirmed per case, once the CCP and the products are fixed. The printed clocks belong to the company side: GDT registration falls due within 15 working days of starting activity or of receiving the registration certificate.
Run from our Phnom Penh office.

Which of the 3 CCPs active in October 2026 can carry the broker, on which approved products and at what margin, settled in writing before the SERC file is drafted.Active CCP and products settled.
Ministry of Commerce registration, a lease on premises with a building, a bank account certificate and GDT registration on Form 101-P2 inside the 15-working-day window.Registration, building, GDT tax number.
The application under Prakas No. 004/15, a capital plan for the SERC's minimum capital and the financial soundness rules of Prakas No. 013/20 and a compliance officer qualified by the SERC.Application, capital plan, compliance officer.
Prakas No. 001/21 reporting in place from the first day, client training that carries the complaint notice, and AML/CFT controls for a securities-sector reporting person.Prakas 001/21, client training, AML/CFT.






Taxation of forex brokers in Cambodia.
A broker's company in Cambodia is taxed under the Law on Taxation of 16 May 2023 (NS/RKM/0523/004). We confirm which income tax rate applies per structure; the minimum tax, dividend, loss and VAT rules around it are in print.
The GDT lists the Law on Taxation of 16 May 2023 as the valid statute. We confirm which income tax rate applies to the broker's company before its first annual return and build the group model on that rate.Rate confirmed per structure.
Where accounting records are improper, the annual return charges the higher of income tax and minimum tax. A company certified as keeping proper accounting records is exempt from minimum tax (Prakas No. 638 of 4 July 2017).Not due with certified proper books.
Paying a dividend triggers advance tax on dividend distribution, which is credited against income tax. Withholding on payments to a parent abroad depends on the recipient's residence; the rate and any treaty relief are confirmed per structure.Advance tax credited against income tax.
Losses carry forward until the fifth tax year, as the GDT's annual return form sets out. The annual return and the payment are due within 3 months of the end of the tax period.Carried to the fifth year; 3-month return.
Taxable supplies in Cambodia carry 10% VAT, while primary financial services and insurance are non-taxable supplies under Prakas No. 559 of 25 May 2017. Whether FX and CFD brokerage counts as a primary financial service is confirmed per structure.10%; financial services status per structure.
A large taxpayer with turnover above KHR 10 billion a year pays patent tax of KHR 2,500,000, other large taxpayers KHR 1,500,000 and medium ones KHR 600,000. Registration adds KHR 400,000 for the GDT, KHR 1,010,000 for the Ministry of Commerce, KHR 25,000 for the name and KHR 120,000 for the Ministry of Labour.KHR 2,500,000 above KHR 10 billion turnover.
*As of 2026 per the Law on Taxation of 16 May 2023 and the GDT's guidance under Prakas No. 559, 638 and 701. Group and founder-level outcomes are modelled per structure.
Experienced lawyers and international consultants.
We provide end-to-end support, from company registration and the application file to regulatory interaction and compliance oversight - with an individualized approach to each client.
Builds the application itself: Cambodian company, AML/KYC policy pack, capital structure and tax registrations. His document sets are the reason reviews finish in months, not years.
First point of contact for international founders. Runs the whole setup remotely, across time zones and languages - from the first call to a live, licensed broker.
Active across our channels.
Get your forex license in Cambodia with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from the CCP choice and the product approvals to the company, the office lease, the SERC file and Prakas No. 001/21 reporting - run through our Phnom Penh office.
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What founders ask about the SERC, CCPs and approved leverage.
Who licenses forex and CFD brokers in Cambodia?+
The Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC), under Prakas No. 004/15 of 2 July 2015 on the licensing and supervision of derivative trading, amended in 2020. It licenses central counterparty companies and the derivative brokers that work under them, and it approves each product with its leverage and initial margin.
Does a broker in Cambodia need a central counterparty?+
Yes. Trading runs through licensed CCP companies, and the SERC's English register lists each derivative broker as an agent of one. The alternative is a CCP licence of the firm's own: Gold Financial Global Investment holds one and is its own broker.
How long does a forex license in Cambodia take?+
The SERC's timing is confirmed per case, and we give it once the CCP and the product list are settled. The company side runs on printed clocks: tax registration with the GDT is due within 15 working days of starting activity, and the GDT says it can take up to 7 to 10 business days.
What does a forex license in Cambodia cost?+
The SERC's application and licence fees, the minimum capital and the SERC's service fees on derivative trades are confirmed in the quote. The company costs are printed: KHR 1,010,000 for Ministry of Commerce registration, KHR 400,000 for GDT registration and patent tax by size, KHR 2,500,000 above KHR 10 billion of turnover.
What leverage can a Cambodian broker offer?+
The leverage the SERC approved for each product at its CCP: 1:100 (1% initial margin) on FX CFDs at all three CCPs active in October 2026, 1:20 on equity CFDs at Phnom Penh Derivative Exchange, and 1:200 on AUS200, NAS100 and some other indices at Golden Fortune Derivatives Exchange.
Which products can a Cambodian CCP list?+
Only products the SERC has approved. The approved classes are CFDs on currencies, precious metals, copper, crude oil, natural gas, indices and equity securities, and Phnom Penh Derivative Exchange's FX list runs from majors and crosses to pairs such as USDTRY and USDZAR.
What changed in Cambodia's securities rules in 2025 and 2026?+
Four prakas in under five months: on digital asset business (30 December 2025), on a capital gains tax exemption for securities-sector products (5 February 2026), on AML/CFT sanctions (6 February 2026) and on SERC authorisation for introducing agents (12 May 2026). How far each reaches a derivatives broker is checked per case, before the plan is fixed.
Does a Cambodian broker need a real office?+
Yes, from the day it registers for tax. The GDT does not accept locations with no buildings or vacant land unless it approves them, and the registration file carries a title deed or lease with the premises' coordinates and a bank account certificate.
Cambodia or Labuan for an FX broker?+
Labuan, if printed terms matter most: its money broking licence asks RM1,000,000 of paid-up capital, caps forex at 100:1 and taxes audited profits at 3%, though it allows no dealing desk. Cambodia offers a CCP market with leverage approved per product; its capital and fees come from the SERC per case.
Why Prifinance for Cambodia?+
We settle the CCP and the product list first, then build the company, the lease, the GDT registration and the SERC file under Prakas No. 004/15. The work runs through our Phnom Penh office.
Who licenses?+
The SERC, under Prakas No. 004/15.
Need a CCP?+
Yes, or a CCP licence of your own.
How long?+
Confirmed per case; GDT 7-10 business days.
Cost?+
SERC fees and capital in the quote.
Leverage?+
1:100 on FX CFDs; some indices 1:200.
Products?+
Seven SERC-approved CFD classes.
New rules?+
Four prakas since December 2025.
Real office?+
Yes, a building for tax registration.
Or Labuan?+
Printed terms there; a CCP market here.
Why you?+
Phnom Penh office, CCP settled first.
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Get a free legal opinion on your project - our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.Free legal opinion: which CCP route fits your products in Cambodia, and what the SERC will ask for.
Prifinance is an independent law and advisory firm. We are not a regulator and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC) or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.