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Saudi Arabia's decision to launch the first overseas edition of LEAP in Hong Kong signals more than the international expansion of its flagship technology conference. It reflects Riyadh's growing focus on Asia, deepening technology cooperation with China, and the strategic importance of the Greater Bay Area as a global innovation hub. Rather than diminishing Singapore's role, the move highlights how governments are increasingly selecting technology partners based on strategic

ASEAN's workforce is expanding by around 11,000 people every day, creating one of the world's largest emerging talent pools. As global businesses diversify supply chains and invest in Southeast Asia, the region's demographic advantage is becoming a powerful driver of economic growth. This report explores the opportunities, challenges, and policies shaping ASEAN's labour force boom over the coming decades.

For decades, the US dollar has underpinned trade and finance across Southeast Asia. Today, ASEAN is pursuing a quieter transformation. Through local currency settlement arrangements, cross-border payment connectivity, and closer central bank cooperation, the region is gradually reducing its reliance on the US dollar not to replace it, but to build a more resilient, efficient, and flexible financial system.

Climate change is transforming how ASEAN governments think about telecommunications infrastructure. As floods, typhoons, rising sea levels, and extreme weather increasingly disrupt digital networks, policymakers are treating telecommunications not just as a commercial service, but as critical national infrastructure.

Southeast Asia is rapidly emerging as a strategic battleground in the global AI compute race. From Singapore’s hyperscale ambitions to Indonesia’s digital expansion and Vietnam’s technology growth, ASEAN nations are investing heavily in the infrastructure that could define the region’s digital future.

Singapore’s $8.4 billion AI investment is solidifying its position as ASEAN’s technology leader, but it is also widening the digital divide across the region. New analysis examines how this gap is forming, its economic consequences, and practical strategies smaller ASEAN economies can use to compete and benefit without matching Singapore’s massive spending.

ASEAN’s data center sector is booming as digital transformation accelerates across the region. Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand are emerging as key hubs, but the surge brings major challenges around power supply, water usage, and sustainability. The real question is whether the region can expand capacity fast enough while ensuring the boom supports — rather than undermines — long-term environmental and energy goals.

AI is transforming risk management and market dynamics in ASEAN’s financial sector, delivering faster decisions and lower fraud losses. Yet the same tools that promise greater stability are also reshaping volatility and creating new systemic risks. From Indonesia’s banking sector to regional fintech hubs, the real question is whether adoption is outpacing the governance and oversight needed to protect financial stability in the long term.

In the digital age, state secrets are more vulnerable than ever, yet many ASEAN agencies still rely on outdated protocols and inconsistent practices. From strategic energy plans to trade negotiation documents, the cost of a breach can be severe. The real question is whether governments will treat the protection of these “crown jewels” with the urgency it deserves, or continue risking national competitiveness and security through fragmented approaches.

The gig economy offers flexible income across ASEAN, but unequal access to digital skills and affordable internet is leaving marginalized communities behind. From Indonesia’s rural areas to urban low-income groups, many potential workers cannot fully participate. The real question is whether platforms and governments will invest in genuine inclusion — or allow the gig economy to widen existing inequalities rather than reduce them.

Satellite direct-to-device services are accelerating globally, with Starlink planning 15,000 new satellites for cellular services and competitors like AST SpaceMobile, Lynk and Globalstar forging major MNO partnerships. For ASEAN businesses and governments, this promises faster coverage in remote areas — but also raises urgent strategic questions about spectrum policy, local partnerships and regulatory readiness.

ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn has urged swift regional action on space situational awareness and space traffic management to protect satellites vital for disaster response and connectivity. In a keynote at the ASEAN SSA and STM Seminar in Manila, he called for concrete steps to inform an upcoming ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Space Cooperation — a move that could safeguard infrastructure and position the bloc as a responsible steward in an increasingly crowded orb

Thailand is racing ahead in ASEAN’s cashless revolution, with PromptPay driving an eight-fold surge in transactions and lifting financial inclusion far above the regional average. While cross-border linkages and tourism spending are booming, the rapid shift is also fuelling a sharp rise in online scams and mule accounts.