Indonesia, Philippines and China showcased the most notable growth in messaging with WhatsApp, RCS, Viber and other chat apps among the most popular channels.
Infobip has released its latest Messaging Trends Report revealing APACas the world’s fastest-growing messaging region – recording a 51% surge in conversational messaging in 2024.
The report is based on an analysis of over 530 billion interactions between businesses and consumers on Infobip’s platform.
According to the research, APAC is spearheading global messaging growth, driven by dynamic markets like Indonesia (59%), the Philippines (33%), and China (29%).
Infobip AI Hub data highlights the surge in AI adoption, giving conversational messaging apps a major makeover and enabling richer and more meaningful connections. For instance, WhatsApp usage doubled with 100% growth, driven by seamless in-chat purchasing features. Indonesia led the rise at 110%, followed by India (27%), Singapore (20%) and Malaysia (17%).
RCS interactions surged 102% across the region with India (850%) leading the growth chart. Viber also gained 41% more traction in the region, with the Philippines seeing a significant rise in messaging interactions.
Additionally, the 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 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 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.”
