The premium streaming market in Southeast Asia experienced a significant boost in 2025, with a surge in paid streaming accounts, increased connected TV adoption, and a landmark year for locally produced programming. According to data from Media Partners Asia and their measurement platform AMPD, the region saw a 19% year-over-year increase in paid streaming accounts, surpassing 61 million in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore. Indonesia led in new account additions and total watch time consumption, while Thailand and the Philippines also contributed to the growth. In saturated markets like Malaysia and Singapore, operators focused on enhancing user activity and revenue rather than adding new subscribers.
Viewers in Southeast Asia consumed a total of 4.2 billion hours of premium streaming content in the final quarter of 2025, marking an 8% increase from the previous quarter. Netflix saw a 14% increase in regional viewing, while iQIYI and Indonesian service Vidio also saw significant growth at 10% and 24%, respectively.
In Indonesia, the streaming subscriber base expanded to 26.9 million accounts, with platforms like Netflix, Vidio, Viu, and iQIYI all contributing to the growth. Indonesian productions reached a milestone in Q4 2025, equaling Korean programming in viewership share at 30% each. Local originals, particularly from Vidio, performed well and showcased the increasing commercial viability of homegrown content in driving subscriber acquisition and retention.
Dhivya T, lead analyst at MPA and AMPD, noted the shift towards local content driving acquisition and engagement in Southeast Asia. Korean content remained popular, but local originals played a more central role in viewer preferences. Thai content also demonstrated strong cross-border appeal, while Chinese dramas continued to engage audiences on freemium and hybrid platforms.
Netflix maintained its position as the dominant streaming service in the region, with strong subscriber counts, monthly active users, and total watch time. Viu secured the second spot regionally, benefiting from the popularity of Korean dramas and targeted local productions. Vidio led among Indonesian platforms in subscribers and monthly active users, while iQIYI regained momentum in Indonesia and Thailand with Chinese and Thai content.
Thai productions had the strongest international reach within Southeast Asia, drawing 11.1 million viewers from outside Thailand, particularly through Netflix-licensed horror films and series.
Connected TV usage saw a significant increase in Southeast Asia, with viewers opting for larger screens for streaming content. This shift was most pronounced in Indonesia and the Philippines, signaling a trend towards living room viewing for streaming services.
The industry also saw concentration among a few leading platforms, with three to four services capturing around 70% of subscriptions and viewing activity. This consolidation indicates a maturing market in Southeast Asia’s premium streaming sector.
