New Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2026 report highlights the opportunities and policy priorities that will shape the region’s next phase of digital growth 

Kuala Lumpur: Mobile technologies and services are projected to contribute US$1.4 trillion to the Asia Pacific economy by 2030, a 40% increase from the US$1 trillion generated today, according to the GSMA’s new Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2026 report.  

Released today in Kuala Lumpur ahead of next month’s M360 ASEAN 2026, the report finds that the next phase of digital growth will be shaped not only by connectivity, but by how governments, operators and technology providers respond to four converging priorities: the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI), declining digital trust, demand for more resilient digital infrastructure, and growing interest in digital sovereignty. 

The findings come at a time when governments across Asia Pacific are grappling with rising online fraud, growing demand for AI infrastructure, intensifying geopolitical uncertainty and increasing expectations around digital sovereignty. The report identifies these challenges, and the opportunities they create, as central themes for discussion at M360 ASEAN in September. 

The report also highlights the growing importance of digital sovereignty across Asia Pacific. Governments and industry are increasingly investing in local AI infrastructure, trusted cloud services, secure data environments and digital capabilities that support national priorities while maintaining openness, innovation and cross-border collaboration. 

Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific, GSMA, said: “The mobile industry is playing an increasingly important role in shaping Asia Pacific’s digital future. As this report shows, economies and societies across the region are becoming increasingly digital, with mobile networks serving as the foundation for AI adoption, digital trust and resilient digital infrastructure. As governments place greater emphasis on digital sovereignty and citizens expect stronger protection from scams, fraud and cyber threats, the responsibilities placed on our industry continue to grow. M360 ASEAN brings together policymakers, industry leaders and innovators to address these challenges, strengthen trust and ensure digital transformation delivers long-term economic and social benefits for everyone.” 

AI, Digital Trust, Digital Sovereignty and Resilience Reshaping the Mobile Industry 

The report finds that 5G, AI and IoT will deliver significant productivity gains across Asia Pacific, particularly in manufacturing and services, which together are expected to account for more than half of the economic benefits generated by advanced mobile technologies. Mobile operators are increasingly expanding their role beyond connectivity to provide AI infrastructure, cloud services and enterprise solutions that support innovation across the economy. 

Digital trust becomes an economic imperative 

As digital services become more deeply embedded in everyday life, maintaining trust in the digital ecosystem is becoming increasingly important. The report finds that the proportion of consumers reporting they have been scammed in ASEAN increased from 31% in 2024 to 45% in 2025, underscoring the growing urgency of tackling fraud and strengthening online safety. Operators are responding by investing in security, fraud prevention and cross-sector collaboration to protect consumers and businesses. 

Digital sovereignty gains importance 

The report highlights growing interest in digital sovereignty as governments across Asia Pacific seek to strengthen national digital capabilities, support trusted AI development and ensure that critical digital infrastructure can meet local economic and security needs. Operators are increasingly playing a role through investments in cloud infrastructure, AI platforms, secure data environments and trusted digital services. 

Resilience moves from a technical issue to a strategic priority 

The report highlights how resilience is becoming a defining feature of digital infrastructure. Climate-related disruptions, geopolitical tensions, supply chain risks and increasing dependence on digital services are driving greater focus on ensuring networks remain reliable, secure and available during periods of disruption. Governments and industry are increasingly working together to strengthen resilience across critical communications infrastructure. 

Other key findings from the Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2026: 

• 5G connections are forecast to reach 1.5 billion by 2030, representing 50% of all mobile connections in Asia Pacific. 

• Operators are expected to invest more than US$200 billion in capital expenditure between 2025 and 2030. 

• The mobile ecosystem supported 18 million jobs across the region in 2025. 

• More than 700 million adults remain offline despite being covered by mobile broadband networks. 

M360 ASEAN: Addressing the Challenges Shaping Asia Pacific’s Digital Future 

Many of the issues highlighted in the report, including AI adoption, digital trust, digital sovereignty, network resilience and digital inclusion, will be explored in depth at M360 ASEAN, taking place in Kuala Lumpur on 9-10 September 2026. 

Bringing together ministers, regulators, mobile operators, technology companies and international organisations, M360 ASEAN will examine how governments and industry can work together to build trusted digital ecosystems, strengthen resilience, support digital sovereignty and unlock the economic potential of AI and advanced connectivity. 

YB Dato’ Seri Fahmi Fadzil, Malaysia’s Minister of Communications, said, “Malaysia is proud to support ASEAN’s journey towards a more integrated, innovative and inclusive digital future. By strengthening collaboration across governments, industry and communities, we can unlock new opportunities for growth, expand digital participation and ensure the benefits of digital transformation are shared across the region. M360 ASEAN is an important platform to advance this shared vision.” 

Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, said, “As ASEAN advances its vision for an integrated and future-ready digital economy, collaboration across governments, industry and regional partners will be essential. M360 ASEAN offers a valuable platform to foster dialogue, strengthen partnerships, and support the collective efforts needed to transform our shared digital ambitions into meaningful outcomes for the region.” 

The event will feature keynote addresses and discussions involving senior leaders including: 

• The Right Honourable Datuk Amar Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation; 

• YB Dato’ Seri Fahmi Fadzil, Malaysia’s Minister of Communications; 

• Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN; 

• Dian Siswarini, President Director, Telkom Indonesia; and 

• Bhupinder Singh, President, Vodafone Business International. 

These leaders will join policymakers, industry executives and technology innovators from across the region to discuss how ASEAN can strengthen digital trust, accelerate AI-enabled growth, support digital sovereignty and build resilient digital infrastructure for the future.