KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has been identified as Southeast Asia’s fastest-expanding digital economy, recording a 19% annual rise and positioning itself to hit US$39 billion GMV this year.
Southeast Asia is projected to exceed US$300 billion in digital GMV by 2025, signalling steady momentum in digitalisation despite global shocks.
The region’s 680 million population has accelerated online adoption in sectors such as e-commerce, payments, tourism and entertainment.
Malaysia’s digital sector strengthened with a 21% growth rate driven by AI integration, rising video commerce adoption and the consolidation of major e-commerce platforms.
The country saw a remarkable 91% surge in online travel demand — the fastest in the region — supported by better flight networks and promotional push leading up to Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
Malaysia’s transition toward cashless payments continues to accelerate, with digital transactions expected to total US$213 billion by 2025.