Malaysia ranks second in ASEAN digital nations index
Thu, 10th Sep 2026 (Today)
Malaysia ranked second in the GSMA's Digital Nations Index for ASEAN, behind Singapore.
The index also showed progress in Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines, which followed Malaysia in the regional standings. The findings were released as policymakers, regulators and telecom executives met in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the next stage of Southeast Asia's digital economy.
GSMA said ASEAN now needs to connect national digital plans into a regional market with greater interoperability. That theme dominated closing discussions at M360 ASEAN, where officials and industry leaders focused on how digital services are becoming more embedded across the bloc.
Malaysia's position in the index was linked to work on digital infrastructure, data governance, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence policy. The report cited the country's AI Nation 2030 strategy as one of the drivers of that progress.
Singapore remained ASEAN's top-ranked market, while Malaysia outperformed several other large economies in the region. The study's broader message was that national gains will need to translate into cross-border coordination if ASEAN is to build a more unified digital economy.
The push comes as the region targets a USD2 trillion digital economy by 2030. The debate has moved beyond basic connectivity to trust, standards and shared systems for digital services.
In Malaysia, mobile operators have begun working together on digital identity and fraud prevention tools. CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile, Telekom Malaysia and YTL Communications jointly launched a federated Number Verification API under the GSMA Open Gateway initiative, allowing banks and online retailers to check a customer's mobile number against real-time network data.
The system is intended as an alternative to SMS one-time passwords, which have faced criticism over fraud and security weaknesses. It also illustrates the type of operator collaboration regional industry groups want to see extended across ASEAN markets.
Digital inclusion
Malaysia's telecom and digital groups are also using mobile data and connectivity in financial services and healthcare. Axiata's Boost ecosystem uses e-wallet data to support lending to small and medium-sized enterprises with limited credit histories, and Boost Bank had disbursed nearly MYR150 million as of May 2025.
Healthcare projects have also featured in the country's digital push. CelcomDigi partnered with Hospital Pengajar Universiti Malaysia Sarawak to launch MediRover and MediDoc, combining 5G and satellite links with virtual consultations, diagnostic support and remote monitoring for rural care.
Separately, Universiti Malaya Medical Centre launched a 5G-enabled AI holomedicine service. The projects show how telecom infrastructure is increasingly tied to public service delivery rather than consumer communications alone.
Awards presented
The event also included two award programmes highlighting digital initiatives and leadership across the region. The Digital Nation Awards recognised countries, organisations and projects judged to have made a significant contribution to ASEAN's digital development.
PT. Telkomsel won the Best Digital Nation Video Award. Other category winners included Honor, Huawei, Maxis, NTT Docomo, One New Zealand, True Corporation and Singtel.
A separate Women Digital Leadership Awards programme recognised women working in artificial intelligence and digital technology across the mobile and technology sector. Gold and Silver Award recipients came from across the region.
Senior government and industry figures took part in the discussions, including Teo Nie Ching, Deputy Minister of Communications, and Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Adviser to the President of Sri Lanka. Telecom executives at the gathering included Nik Rizal Kamil, Group Chief Executive Officer of Axiata Group, Carl Cruz, President and Chief Executive Officer of Globe Telecom, and Bhupinder Singh, President Asia of Vodafone.
Vivek Badrinath, Director General of GSMA, said: "The foundations have been built, and ASEAN has set itself a bold ambition: a $2 trillion digital economy by 2030. What's clear is that ambition must now translate into action, connecting national strategies into a more integrated, interoperable regional digital economy. Governments, mobile operators, digital platforms all have a role to play. We have the infrastructure, the talent, and the ambition. What comes next depends on how well we work together."