A new study by Adjust and Sensor Tower highlights Southeast Asia (SEA) as a global leader in the adoption of Chinese apps. According to the report, Indonesia tops the charts with 22% of Chinese app installs, followed by the Philippines at 21%. Malaysia and Thailand share a 19% install rate, while Vietnam and Singapore each account for 18%.
“The rapid rise of Chinese apps worldwide underscores their influence in reshaping digital user experiences through gamification, artificial intelligence, and personalization,” April Tayson, regional VP for INSEAU at Adjust, said in a media release. “Looking at how these apps have deeply integrated into our daily lives, Chinese apps’ momentum shows no signs of slowing down.”
The utility app category dominates in SEA, with Vietnam leading at 36% of installs, followed by Cambodia (33%) and Indonesia (30%). Singapore ranks first globally in entertainment app installs with 49%, while the Philippines and Indonesia share the top spot for gaming app installs at 19%. Malaysia leads social app adoption, with an 80% install rate.
Popular apps include TikTok, Garena Free Fire, Shopee, and SHAREit. Finance apps like DANA Dompet Digital Indonesia are also fueling growth, with SEA finance app installs increasing by 88% year-over-year (YoY) in Q3 2024. Shopping app installs surged 184% YoY.
The region also shows digital maturity in App-Tracking Transparency opt-in rates, which have risen across categories. For instance, finance apps now see a 53% opt-in rate, while games reached 51%.
“These insights will help marketers refine strategies and learn from the success of Chinese apps in SEA,” said Tayson. “Understanding regional preferences and cultural nuances is key to building loyal user bases.”