ASEAN is entering a decisive phase in its digital economy journey. Connectivity, digital trade facilitation, cybersecurity and digital payments have strengthened the foundations for regional integration. Yet evidence from more than 4,500 businesses across Southeast Asia reveals a persistent gap between digital readiness and real-world participation.
Firms still face friction when trading, paying, authenticating, signing documents and transferring data across borders – barriers that weigh particularly heavily on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
The ASEAN Digital Economy Outlook 2026 examines where these implementation gaps persist and what firms need to participate and grow with confidence. It identifies five priorities for the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA): end-to-end digital trade; interoperable payments and e-invoicing; trusted digital identity and e-signatures; practical data governance; and MSME support. The report offers an actionable agenda for turning ASEAN’s digital ambition into inclusive, trusted and seamless cross-border growth.
This report was developed as part of the ASEAN Digital Economy Agreement Leadership (ASEAN DEAL) project supported by the ASEAN Korea Cooperation Fund.