Key facts
- Southeast Asia's premium streaming market grew 19% in 2025, surpassing 61 million paid accounts.
- Indonesia led regional growth, with local content now rivaling South Korean dramas in viewership.
- Vidio is a leading Indonesian streaming platform, second only to Netflix in revenue.
- Thai horror films and series reached over 11 million viewers outside Thailand.
- Recent Indonesian and Malaysian films have achieved record-breaking box office success domestically.
Southeast Asia's streaming market is experiencing robust growth, with Indonesia at the forefront, as local content increasingly captures audience attention and challenges the dominance of South Korean dramas. The premium streaming sector saw a significant 19% year-over-year increase in 2025, bringing the total number of paid accounts to over 61 million across the region.
Indonesia has been the primary driver of this expansion, contributing the largest share of new account additions and total watch time. In the final quarter of 2025, Indonesian original productions achieved a landmark 30% viewership share, matching that of Korean programming. This surge reflects an improvement in content quality and growing audience confidence in local storytelling, making homegrown productions essential for subscriber acquisition and retention.
Vidio has emerged as a dominant force in the Indonesian market, experiencing a 24% increase in viewing time in Q4 2025. The platform's success is attributed to its extensive library of Indonesian originals and live sports. Vidio leads local Indonesian platforms in subscribers and monthly active users, and ranks second in revenue generation within the country, trailing only Netflix.
Viewer habits are also evolving, with a rapid rise in Connected TV (CTV) adoption, particularly in Indonesia and the Philippines, leading to longer viewing sessions. While Thailand and the Philippines show consistent growth, markets like Malaysia and Singapore are focusing on user activity rather than subscriber acquisition due to saturation.
Thai productions have demonstrated strong international reach within the region, with over 11 million viewers outside Thailand consuming Thai horror films and series. The industry is consolidating, with three to four platforms now capturing approximately 70% of subscriptions and viewing activity.
Meanwhile, the local film industries in Indonesia and Malaysia are also experiencing a resurgence. After facing challenges from foreign competition and economic crises, domestic films have seen a return to popularity, with record-breaking box office attendance post-pandemic. Films like 'Curse of the Dancing Village' in Indonesia and 'Mat Kilau' in Malaysia have become highest-grossing local productions. However, challenges remain, including government support disparities and difficulties in securing distribution for films with sensitive themes, as highlighted by the Malaysian drama 'Maryam Dari Pagi Ke Malam'.