Phnom Penh, Cambodia – 19 December 2017 –
Ride-hailing firm Grab launches services in Cambodia, expanding its presence to an eighth country in Southeast Asia as it looks to cement its regional dominance over rival Uber.
The Singapore-headquartered firm’s expansion into Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, its 156th city in the region, comes just three months after Uber began services in what the World Bank ranks as the sixth-fastest expanding economy, Reuters reported.
Uber is present in around 60 cities in Southeast Asia but a planned investment by Japan’s SoftBank Group – which owns stakes in ride-hailing firms across Asia, including Grab – has opened up the possibility of consolidation in the fast-expanding sector.
The arrival of Grab and Uber threatens to stifle local firms offering ride-hailing services in a city where locals favour public buses and motorcycles, and where hotels regularly arrange unmarked, unmetered taxis for tourists.
Its challenge to Uber in Cambodia comes as Chinese peer Didi Chuxing said it is considering entering Taiwan, where Uber already has a presence.