Southeast Asia Digital Economy Projected to Reach $368 Billion in 2026
Google, Temasek, and Bain report AI adoption driving 17% annual regional digital growth.
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The 11th e-Conomy SEA report from Google, Temasek, and Bain and Company projects Southeast Asia's digital economy will reach $368 billion in Gross Merchandise Value in 2026, up 17% year-on-year, with a path to $1 trillion by 2035. According to the report, generative AI is used by 243 million people across the region and is scaling four times faster than mobile internet adoption. The report projects a 60-fold increase in regional AI usage by 2030, contingent on roughly tripling data center capacity, improving energy efficiency, and implementing unified governance under the planned ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement.
Source: Google News. Original announcement: October 21, 2026.