Cambodia's digital economy is no longer a promise; it is already delivering results. In 2024, e-commerce revenue accounted for 6.7 percent of the country's entire GDP, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. As of April 2026, total e-commerce revenue sits at $1.2 billion USD with 4.5 million e-commerce users, representing a 38 percent penetration rate among internet users, according to StateGlobe. People are buying fashion, electronics, and beauty products online, with mobile commerce accounting for 65 percent of all transactions. By 2029, Minister of Commerce, Cham Nimul, projects the market will reach $1.8 billion. This is not a side sector. This is a pillar of the Cambodian economy.
Cambodia already has a legal framework for this digital economy. According to the National Assembly, the Law on Electronic Commerce from 2019 makes e-contracts and e-signatures legally valid while protecting online consumers.
According to Khmer Times, in 2018, a sub-decree on digital signatures was created to ensure electronic documents count as paper documents. The Royal Government of Cambodia issued the Sub-Decree on the National Single Window System in 2025, enabling paperless customs trading, according to HBS Law. These are not small steps. Cambodia has quietly built a working legal infrastructure for digital commerce.
According to Kampuchea Thmey, on June 7, 2026, Cambodia announced it is reviewing its e-commerce laws to align with the World Trade Organization's Joint Statement Initiative on E-commerce. The timing matters. On March 28, 2026, 67 WTO members, representing 70 percent of global trade, adopted a pathway to bring the E-Commerce Agreement into force through interim arrangements, according to the WTO. Cambodia is not among those 67 countries yet. Joining this agreement would give Cambodian SMEs direct access to markets across those 67 countries. Not joining means competitors like Vietnam and Thailand, if they move first, will gain a structural advantage in digital trade. Cambodia already meets many of the agreement's core requirements, such as e-signatures being legal, consumer protection existing, the National Single Window handling paperless trade, and no customs duties being imposed on digital products. The gap is significant but singular. The agreement also requires participating countries to have personal data protection frameworks in place, and this is where Cambodia falls short.
According to DLA Piper, Cambodia does not have a Personal Data Protection Law. The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications announced plans in 2021. A public draft appeared in July 2025. As of early 2026, it has not been enacted. This is not a bureaucratic delay. Trading partners, particularly those in the EU, rely on data protection adequacy frameworks before permitting cross-border data flows. Without this law, Cambodian businesses face real barriers when accessing those markets, regardless of every other legal framework already in place.
Cambodia should enact its Personal Data Protection Law without further delay and formally notify the WTO of its intent to join the E-Commerce Agreement. The economic foundation, $1.2 billion in revenue, millions of active users, and legal groundwork are already there. The next step is making sure the rules protect what has already been built.
However, passing the Personal Data Protection Law should not be seen as the finish line. The harder challenge will be enforcement: Cambodia will need a capable data protection authority, trained officials, clear compliance guidelines, and public awareness so the law can work in practice. This is especially important for SMEs, which may benefit from joining wider digital trade frameworks but could also struggle with the cost and complexity of data protection compliance. To make the reform more inclusive, the government should consider phased implementation, training programs, and practical support for small businesses.