A woman with long dark hair, wearing a black blouse, smiles whilst looking at her phone outdoors. She stands in front of a beige building with columns and pink awnings. The background is softly blurred, highlighting her expression.

The Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2026

contributed to Asia Pacific’s economy by mobile technologies and services in 2025

of mobile connections in developed Asia Pacific will be 5G by 2030

of the population covered by mobile networks in 2025

Uncovering key trends in Asia Pacific’s mobile ecosystem

In 2025, mobile technologies and services contributed $1 trillion to Asia Pacific’s economy, equivalent to 5.9% of regional GDP. The mobile industry’s economic contribution will grow to $1.4 trillion by 2030, driven by the continued expansion of 5G and deeper integration of AI across industries.

Asia Pacific is forecast to reach 1.5 billion 5G connections by 2030, accounting for around a quarter of the global total. As 5G expansion continues, networks are becoming foundations for AI deployment throughout the economy; operators are capturing opportunities across the AI value stack, including connectivity, compute, cloud, data, security and enterprise services.

Digital trust has also become a strategic priority as new technologies make the risk of scams more severe. The priority is moving from responding after harm occurs to reducing risk earlier, embedding cyber defence into networks, services and governance, and working with partners across the wider ecosystem.

The Mobile Economy Asia Pacific report examines the key trends shaping the mobile industry across the region, including 5G monetisation, AI, digital trust, GSMA Open Gateway and sustainability.