Investment projects approved by the Council for the Development of Cambodia’s (CDC) Cambodian Investment Committee totalled more than 600 in the first 11 months of 2025 — an increase of nearly 60% compared to the same period in 2024.
Kampong Speu and Svay Rieng provinces were the top destinations.
According to a December 4 CDC press release, between January and November, the investment committee registered 609 investment projects (237 of them in Special Economic Zones), totalling $9.5 billion in investment capital. Among them, the number of approved projects increased by 220, equivalent to 57%, while investment capital rose by approximately $3 billion, or 47%, compared to the same period in 2024. The projects are expected to create roughly 426,000 new jobs.
Kampong Speu received the highest number of investment projects at 136, followed by Svay Rieng with 135, Phnom Penh with 75, Takeo with 60, Koh Kong with 50, Preah Sihanouk with 50, Kandal with 48, and Kampong Chhnang with 21.
Of the total investment capital, China accounted for 52.62%, Cambodia 32.49%, Singapore 4.49%, followed by Vietnam, the British Virgin Islands, the UK and the US.
In 2024, the CDC approved a total of 414 investment projects.
In November 2025 alone, 34 projects were registered (12 in Special Economic Zones), with an investment capital of around $262 million. They are expected to create 24,000 jobs.
Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, first vice-president of the CDC, stated during the inauguration of the Cambodia Trade Expo 2025 on December 4, that the number of CDC-approved projects in the first 11 months of 2025 represents a new record. In 2024, CDC broke previous records, with 414 approved investment projects.
“At this point, I also want to share that Cambodia’s investment climate has gained global recognition for two consecutive years,” he said.
He continued that, on behalf of the Royal Government, he is proud and appreciative of the Ministry of Commerce, the CDC, relevant ministries and institutions, and the private sector for their continued cooperation in trade negotiations, investment promotion, and the strengthening of economic and commercial growth through imports and the expansion of Cambodian products in regional and global markets.
Royal Academy of Cambodia economist Hong Vanak told The Post on December 5 that the surge in CDC-approved investment projects demonstrates investor confidence and the market opportunities they see in Cambodia’s direct investment environment. He noted that Cambodia is a politically stable country with strong economic growth and has numerous bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements, adding that improvements to investment laws and transport infrastructure are becoming additional magnets for attracting more investors.
“Before deciding to invest in any country, investors conduct detailed studies on various factors, such as investment law, the labour force, export markets, sources of raw materials and transport infrastructure. The growth of direct investment shows that Cambodia is improving across all sectors,” he added.
According to FDI Intelligence, in 2024 Cambodia ranked at the top of the FDI Standouts Watchlist, confirming that Cambodia is one of the most promising emerging markets for investment.
According to Chnathol, in 2025, Cambodia continued to rank No. 1 in the Asia-Pacific region and No. 9 globally in the Greenfield FDI Performance Index, which measures how effectively countries attract investment, relative to the size of their economies.
