Amret
Comment: Probably LLM-generated as well, which is not allowed —pythoncoder (talk | contribs) 20:20, 6 August 2026 (UTC)
| Microfinance institution | |
| ISIN | 🆔 |
| Industry | Financial services |
| Founded 📆 | 1991 |
| Founder 👔 | GRET |
Area served 🗺️ | |
Key people | Dos Dinn (CEO)[1] |
| Products 📟 | Loans, savings/deposits, money transfer, digital financial services |
| Owner | Bank SinoPac |
| Members | |
Number of employees | |
| Parent | SinoPac Holding |
| 🌐 Website | https://www.amret.com.kh |
| 📇 Address | |
| 📞 telephone | |
Amret is a Cambodian microfinance deposit-taking institution (MDI) headquartered in Phnom Penh.[2] Founded in 1991 as a rural microcredit project of the French NGO GRET, it has grown into one of Cambodia's largest microfinance institutions, providing loans, savings, money transfer, and insurance referral services through a nationwide branch network.[3][4] Since January 2025, Amret has been majority-owned by Taiwan's Bank SinoPac.[5]
History
Amret was founded in 1991 as a microcredit project of the French NGO GRET, initially operating under the name EMT, before becoming a private limited company in 2000 and obtaining Cambodia's first formal microfinance license in 2001.[3] It was renamed Amret in 2004 and, after admitting a series of international development-finance shareholders, obtained a license as a deposit-taking microfinance institution (MDI) in 2009.[2] In 2015, Amret became a full subsidiary of the Advans Group, under which it grew into one of Cambodia's largest microfinance institutions, surpassing USD 1 billion in assets and over 630,000 clients across 150 branches by 2024.[3][2][6] In January 2025, Taiwan's Bank SinoPac completed the acquisition of an 80 percent stake in Amret, becoming its majority shareholder, with IFC and FMO retaining a reduced 10 percent stake each during a two-year transition as Advans fully exited its ownership.[5][7]
Origins (1991–2000)
Amret traces its origins to 1991, when the French NGO GRET launched a microcredit project, "Solidarity Credit," with Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture to test rural credit for low-income clients. The entity operated as EMT (Ennatien Moulethan Tchonnebat) during this period.[3] In 2000 it became a private limited company, and in 2001 received Cambodia's first formal microfinance license from the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC). LFP and Proparco jointly acquired 20% of its capital, followed by I&P as a shareholder.[3][2]
On 14 June 2004, EMT was renamed Amret. LFP bought out Proparco, and Advans SA SICAR became a shareholder—a firm backed by the EIB, KfW, IFC, AFD, FMO, and CDC Group.[2]
Deposit-taking license (2009)
FMO, Oikocredit, and Proparco joined as investors, and in January 2009 Amret obtained a license as a deposit-taking microfinance institution (MDI), beginning public savings collection by year-end.[2]
Subsidiary of Advans Group (2015)
In 2015, Amret became a full member of the Advans Group, an international microfinance network.[3]
Growth (2015–2024)
Amret rebranded, surpassed USD 1 billion in assets, earned Smart Campaign Client Protection recertification (2020–2024), modernized its core banking system, and first exceeded $40 million in net profit. By early 2025, it ran 150 branches serving over 630,000 clients, as one of Cambodia's four licensed MDIs.[2][6]
Acquisition by Bank SinoPac (2024–2025)
In May 2024, Taiwan's Bank SinoPac announced a $550 million deal for 80% of Amret's equity, paid in tranches, from a seller group including IFC, FMO, Advans, La Fayette Participations, and Botta—with Advans fully exiting.[5][8] The deal closed on 15 January 2025, making Bank SinoPac the majority shareholder; IFC and FMO retained 10% each for a two-year transition, after which SinoPac is expected to reach full ownership.[5][7] By mid-2025, Amret's earnings were already boosting SinoPac's net interest income, which rose 46%.[9]
Operations
Amret operates as one of Cambodia's largest microfinance deposit-taking institutions, with a nationwide branch network and a customer base concentrated in rural and agricultural areas.
Branch network and coverage
As of the mid-2020s, Amret operates 150 branches covering every district across all 25 cities and provinces of Cambodia, supplemented by doorstep operations, ATMs, and e-wallet agents as additional delivery channels. This nationwide footprint has been consistent for roughly a decade: as early as 2016, Amret already maintained a wide network of branches in all 25 provinces of the country.[10][11]
Client base
Amret serves more than half a million clients across its 25-province network. Growth in scale can be traced through successive years: in August 2016, Amret was serving over 426,000 clients across 142 branches; by May 2026, its 150 branches were serving 853,932 clients.[12][13]
Financial scale
As of July 2025, Amret ranked among Cambodia's leading microfinance institutions by loan portfolio size, holding a portfolio of USD 1.670 billion, with a total balance sheet of USD 1.982 billion and savings deposits of USD 1.502 billion. By 2024–2026, Amret's asset base had grown further, and the institution remained one of Cambodia's four licensed microfinance deposit-taking institutions, operating 150 branches and serving more than 893,932 clients.[14]
Products and services
Amret's core offerings center on small-scale loans for rural clients and larger loans for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Its product range includes deposit products and inter-branch money transfer services, aimed at meeting the needs of both urban and rural clients across cities and provinces. The lending portfolio is weighted toward microentrepreneurs (about 80 percent) and includes solidarity group loans, reflecting Amret's continued focus on rural and agricultural livelihoods. Loan applications can be made through the Amret Mobile app and other digital financial channels.[4][11]
Amret's financial products span four categories:
- Loans: business, personal, agriculture, home improvement, women entrepreneur, top-up, and fixed deposit loans
- Savings: Chamroeun Account, Flexi Term Deposit, Kmeng Chhlat children's savings account, Fixed Deposit Account, and Goal Account
- Transaction services: Personal Convenient and Corporate Commerce accounts, mobile banking, and doorstep operations via mobile officers
- Insurance referral services: offered in partnership with AIA Life Insurance, including the 2P5 family protection plan, Loan Repayment Insurance, and Life and Critical Illness coverage[4]
Services are delivered through Amret's branch network, mobile app, ATMs, and doorstep channels.[4][11]
Social performance and recognition
Amret has maintained a range of recognized social-performance, compliance, and workplace standards. It holds a GOLD Certificate for Tax Compliance from Cambodia's General Department of Taxation (GDT) and participates in the National Shared Switch national payment scheme. On client protection, Amret was recertified to the Client Protection Principles by the Smart Campaign for the 2020–2024 period, and in 2025 it received a Client Protection Certification at the gold level—the highest tier under the Universal Standards for Social and Environmental Performance Management—leading to its inclusion in MFR's semester-one 2025 list of top-rated financial institutions worldwide.[15]
On the employer side, Amret was recognized in September 2025 as a "Great Place to Work" for 2025–2026 by the international assessment firm Great Place To Work (GPTW), adding to a string of employer accolades since 2019 that include the Best Employer Award from the HR World Congress and the Best Company in Asia Award from HR Asia.[15]
References
- ↑ "Executive Committee". Amret. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "About Amret". Amret. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Microfinance Company HQ Inaugurated with Blessing and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony". Amret. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Products & Services". Amret. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Bank SinoPac Completes Acquisition of 80 pct of Amret". Xinhua. 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Taiwanese Bank SinoPac Acquires Amret for $550M". Khmer Times. 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Taiwanese Bank SinoPac Finalizes $550M Deal to Acquire 80% Stake in Cambodia's Amret". Cambodia Investment Review. 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ "Deal of the Month – January 2025". Asia Law. 2025-01-21. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ "SinoPac Mulling Life Insurance Business Acquisition". Taipei Times. 2025-08-27. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ "IFC Helps Amret Co. Expand Financing for Rural Enterprises and Agribusinesses in Cambodia". International Finance Corporation. 2016-02-01. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Our Branches". Amret. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ "Amret Awarded Grant to Expand Women's Financial Inclusion". UNCDF. 2016-01-01. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ "Cambodia: Developing Access to Financial Inclusion in Rural Areas". Proparco. 2022-01-01. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ "Key Figures". Amret. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Amret Recognized as a "Great Place to Work" Financial Institution". Amret. 2025-09-12. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
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