Infobip Report Reveals APAC as the Fastest-Growing Region for Conversational Messaging

31 March 2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Global cloud communications platform Infobip has published its latest Messaging Trends Report, revealing that the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is the world’s fastest-growing area for messaging, with a remarkable 51% increase in conversational messaging anticipated for 2024.

This report is derived from an extensive analysis of over 530 billion interactions between businesses and consumers on Infobip's platform. The findings indicate that APAC is at the forefront of global messaging growth, propelled by dynamic markets such as Indonesia (59%), the Philippines (33%), and China (29%).

Data from Infobip's AI Hub underscores the significant rise in AI adoption, which has transformed conversational messaging apps and facilitated deeper and more meaningful connections.

Notably, WhatsApp usage has doubled, experiencing a 100% increase fuelled by the introduction of seamless in-chat purchasing features. Indonesia has taken the lead with a remarkable 110% growth, followed by India (27%), Singapore (20%), and Malaysia (17%). Additionally, RCS interactions have surged by 102% across the region, with India exhibiting an extraordinary 850% increase.

Viber has also gained considerable traction (4%) in the region, with the Philippines reporting a noteworthy rise in messaging interactions.

Additionally, research shows that customers in the APAC region prefer messaging channels that are culturally and locally relevant. Notably, KakaoTalk—widely used in South Korea—accounts for 87% of customers interactions from Korean brands, with some engagement also seen in from brands in Singapore.

In Vietnam, 63% of brand conversations happen on Zalo, a popular local platform. Meanwhile, LINE dominates in Thailand, Taiwan region, and Singapore, contributing to 98% of messaging interactions. As a result, brands are increasingly turning to these local platforms to build stronger, more familiar connections with their end users.

Globally, Infobip recorded a 30% increase in the number of brands orchestrating conversational marketing interactions with their customers on its platform.

The report also reveals the rapid adoption of conversational messaging across key industries in the region. The Retail and eCommerce sector saw a 169% surge in interactions, with South Korea leading at 371%, followed by Singapore (133%) and the Philippines (16%). Telecom also saw explosive expansion, with China's interactions skyrocketing by 4200% and Indonesia recorded 121% growth.

Ivan Ostojic, Chief Business Officer, Infobip said: "The surge in business interactions across APAC reflects a broader shift toward richer, more localized, and conversational messaging experiences. Customers in the region engage best with culturally relevant and language-specific content, driving higher engagement and conversions. Brands have successfully leveraged this approach through personalized RCS, WhatsApp, and Viber campaigns or localized promotions for relevant festivities in the region such as Singles Day, to build stronger customer relationships. As conversational marketing evolves, understanding its suitability is key for businesses to enhance connections with their audiences and ensure seamless, secure, and real-time interactions."