50 000 Riels

The 50,000 Riel denomination was introduced precisely because Cambodia's riel had depreciated so severely against the dollar through the 1990s that high-face-value notes became operationally necessary. The country runs a heavily dollarized economy — U.S. dollars handle most significant transactions, while riel notes fill the gaps for small change and low-value purchases. A 50,000 Riel note occupies an awkward middle tier: too large for everyday market use, too small to matter much in dollar-denominated commerce.

The print run of just over 12 million is modest for a developing economy's high-denomination note, suggesting limited deployment rather than mass circulation.