The Internet Computer Protocol is steadily gaining traction in Asia as governments explore blockchain and sovereign cloud technologies to enhance digital identity, financial inclusion, and AI-driven infrastructure. Cambodia continues to lead as a pilot country for the Universal Trusted Credentials initiative, a blockchain-based system designed to provide micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises with access to finance through alternative non-financial collateral mechanisms.
On 19 September 2024, a landmark workshop introduced Cambodia as the first country to trial this initiative. The event brought together officials from Cambodia’s Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology, the United Nations Development Programme, and international partners to discuss the integration of ICP technology into national development strategies. This was followed by a consultative workshop on 13 January 2025, focused on developing the Monitoring and Evaluation framework for the National Strategy on the Development of the Informal Economy 2023‑2028. Participants included H.E. Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science and Technology and Chairman of the Coordinating Committee for Development of the Informal Economy, Mr. Paul Keogh, Director of CAPRED, Mr. Tun Sophorn, National Coordinator of ILO Cambodia, and Ms. Alissar Chaker, UNDP Resident Representative.
The workshops highlighted Cambodia’s need to support the informal economy, which employs roughly 88% of the national workforce. The National Strategy aims to enhance protection, build capacity, increase efficiency, and strengthen resilience, providing pathways for informal workers and businesses to transition into the formal economy. Among the initiatives discussed were the expansion of the Health Equity Fund, which has enabled over 500,000 households to access free public healthcare, the National Social Security Fund for self-employed workers, registering more than 350,000 participants to date, and a Digital Platform for Onboarding the Informal Economy, which recognises contributions and provides access to skills development, social protection, and formal financial services.
Central to these efforts is the adoption of Universal Trusted Credentials (UTC), which leverages ICP blockchain technology to provide secure digital identity verification and enable financial access for small businesses. While still under development with the Central Bank of Cambodia and other national institutions, UTC represents a key component of Cambodia’s strategy to modernise its informal economy and improve digital infrastructure.
The initiative in Cambodia coincides with parallel developments in Pakistan. In a recent memorandum of understanding with the DFINITY Foundation, Pakistan aims to strengthen its digital sovereignty and develop AI-native infrastructure. The agreement, announced with the Pakistan Digital Authority, includes the creation of a dedicated Pakistan Subnet on ICP, designed as a sovereign cloud environment to host tamper-resistant applications, national-scale public services, and AI-powered software. Plans also include a pilot National Messenger application for secure communications and the provision of 1,500 licences for the Caffeine AI platform, intended to accelerate local innovation across government, academia, and startups.
Officials emphasise that both initiatives highlight the potential of ICP to support secure, verifiable, and sovereign digital infrastructure. Cambodia’s pilot, backed by the UN, may serve as a model for additional ICP projects in the region. Analysts suggest that the platform’s adoption in multiple countries positions it as a leading solution for identity verification, financial inclusion, and emerging smart city infrastructure, even as these projects remain in early stages and require close coordination with national institutions.
Community interest in Cambodia’s ICP developments is growing, with rumours circulating that further expansion of the Universal Trusted Credentials programme could be next. Observers note that ICP’s involvement in both Cambodia and Pakistan illustrates the blockchain’s capacity to underpin national digital strategies, while addressing challenges such as cybercrime, digital identity security, and sovereign control over critical infrastructure.
As ICP pilots continue, Cambodia’s role as a testing ground for blockchain-based identity and financial systems is drawing attention from international stakeholders. The combination of UN-backed support, collaboration with national authorities, and integration with broader smart city and AI infrastructure initiatives underscores the growing significance of ICP as a platform capable of shaping the future of digital governance and economic inclusion in Asia.
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