Asia-Pacific Mobile Value Added Services (MVAS) Market Outlook (2025-2035)
The Asia-Pacific Mobile Value Added Services (MVAS) market is a dynamic ecosystem comprising services beyond standard voice calls and messaging offered by telecom operators, application stores, and service providers. Covering SMS, MMS, mobile money, advertising, and location-based solutions, the market caters to diverse applications across entertainment, utilities, ecommerce, healthcare, government, and education. Fueled by rapid digitalization, increased mobile penetration, fintech adoption, and 4G/5G expansion, this sector’s growth is tied to evolving consumer demand for personalized, value-driven mobile experiences. The APAC MVAS market size was valued at USD 182,500 Million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 431,270 Million by 2035, at a CAGR of 8.9%. The region's continuous innovation and government initiatives, coupled with expanding digital payment and remote utility segments, position APAC as the global leader in mobile value-added services through the forecast period.
Latest Market Dynamics
Key Drivers
- Growing smartphone and internet penetration: With over 2 billion smartphone users in the APAC region and surging internet adoption, demand for advanced MVAS solutions like m-banking, entertainment, and commerce has soared. Reliance Jio’s low-cost data plans in India have significantly increased rural and urban digital service consumption.
- Rapid digital payment adoption: The proliferation of mobile wallets and digital banking, led by companies like Alipay and Paytm, is transforming how consumers transact, making mobile money and payment-based value-added services major revenue drivers.
Key Trends
- Expansion of 5G infrastructure: Countries like South Korea and China are leading 5G rollouts, enabling high-bandwidth MVAS applications such as AR/VR, ultra-HD streaming, and IoT services. SK Telecom’s strategic collaborations are launching new immersive entertainment and smart city solutions.
- Personalization using AI/ML: Telecoms such as Singtel are leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to deliver hyper-personalized value-added offerings, increasing user engagement and average revenue per user (ARPU).
Key Opportunities
- Untapped rural markets: Large populations in rural India, Vietnam, and Philippines remain underpenetrated for digital MVAS. Companies like Bharti Airtel are investing in rural rollout of mobile banking and educational services, opening new growth avenues.
- Growth in healthcare and education MVAS: The pandemic spotlighted the need for remote healthcare and e-learning. Companies such as Telstra and Huawei are deploying robust digital health and education platforms tailored to APAC’s diverse needs.
Key Challenges
- Regulatory complexity: Fragmented regulations across APAC create operational and compliance hurdles for cross-border VAS providers. Vodafone faces different licensing and data privacy requirements in each target country.
- Rising cyber threats: Increased MVAS usage has escalated risks of data breaches and fraud, as experienced by China Mobile, which recently enhanced its security infrastructure to comply with stricter privacy norms.
Key Restraints
- Network accessibility gaps: Despite urban strides, connectivity shortfalls in remote regions hinder MVAS reach and scalability. Localized investments by operators like Globe Telecom are needed but can be cost-prohibitive.
- Consumer trust and data privacy: Heightened concerns over data misuse restrict user adoption of certain MVAS, compelling providers like NTT Docomo to focus on transparency and robust consent frameworks.
Market Share by Type, 2025
In 2025, the Asia-Pacific MVAS market is led by Mobile Money (29%), followed by Short Messaging Service (22%) and Mobile Advertising (18%). Mobile Money dominates due to widespread digital payment adoption in China, India, and Southeast Asia, fueled by fintech innovation and governmental financial inclusion strategies. SMS remains vital for authentication and notifications, especially in banking and government services. Mobile Advertising’s rapid growth is attributed to increased smartphone penetration and targeted ad technologies. MMS, Mobile Email & IM, and Location-Based Services collectively form the remainder, supporting niche and specialized communications. The service mix reflects robust demand for secure transactions, real-time interactivity, and content-driven engagement in the region’s rapidly evolving mobile landscape.
Market Share by Applications, 2025
Entertainment services capture the highest share (32%) of the APAC MVAS market in 2025, driven by booming demand for mobile gaming, music, and streaming content, especially among youth segments. Utility applications—including mobile banking, bill payments, and utility management—hold 25% thanks to the region’s digitization efforts and cashless economy initiatives. Ecommerce-based MVAS stands at 20%, buoyed by robust online retail growth and seamless in-app transaction features. Healthcare and education MVAS together account for 15%, reflecting post-pandemic prioritization of health consultations and remote learning. Government services, at 8%, leverage mobile platforms for digital public services, while other categories account for niche applications. This service distribution underscores APAC’s transition from communication-centric services toward holistic, value-driven mobile solutions.
Asia-Pacific MVAS Market Revenue (USD Million), 2020-2035
The Asia-Pacific MVAS market demonstrates robust growth potential through 2035. In 2020, market revenue stood at USD 112,800 Million, rising to USD 182,500 Million in 2025, and is forecasted to reach approximately USD 431,270 Million by 2035. This trajectory equates to a strong CAGR of 8.9% (2025-2035), reflecting expanding connectivity, evolving digital lifestyles, and increased enterprise adoption of advanced mobile services. Regional leaders, especially China, India, and Japan, are driving adoption of innovative VAS across entertainment, financial, health, and government domains. The surging uptake of mobile wallets and 5G-enabled applications will further underpin this sector’s transformation through the next decade.
Asia-Pacific MVAS Market YoY Growth (%), 2020-2035
Year-over-year (YoY) growth in the Asia-Pacific MVAS market peaked at 11.8% in 2021 as pandemic-driven digitization accelerated mobile entertainment, payment, and utility services. Growth moderated to 8.7% by 2025, reflecting market maturation, with further stabilization around 7.5% annually through 2035 as adoption deepens and service portfolios diversify. Sustained expansion is anchored by ongoing 5G deployments, government digitalization initiatives, and rising enterprise demand for personalized mobile engagement. Regulatory harmonization and rural digitization remain crucial to future consistent growth rates.
Market Share by Region, 2025
In 2025, China commands the largest MVAS market share in Asia-Pacific at 38%, reflecting its advanced digital ecosystem and rapid mainstreaming of mobile payments and entertainment. India trails at 22% due to surging mobile commerce and expanding internet reach, while Japan (16%) leads in high-value communication and IoT-driven MVAS. Other leaders include South Korea and Australia, with robust technology adoption. Southeast Asian countries—such as Vietnam, Philippines, and Singapore—collectively make up 17%, representing rapid catch-up growth in fintech and content services. Rest of APAC holds 7%, pointing to future growth potential in underpenetrated markets.
Market Players Share, 2025
In 2025, the APAC MVAS landscape is distributed among several prominent telecom and technology leaders. Huawei Technologies leads with 14% market share due to its expansive portfolio and strong presence in China and Southeast Asia. China Mobile follows with 13%, leveraging its subscriber base and partnership ecosystem, while Bharti Airtel holds 9%, driven by innovation in digital payments and content services. Key players such as NTT Docomo, SK Telecom, and Vodafone collectively ensure a competitive market, while multinational operators like Singtel and Telstra round out the landscape. The market’s fragmented nature fosters ongoing innovation, cross-border alliances, and customer-centric diversification. Market Buyers Share, 2025
In 2025, enterprises account for the largest buyer segment (43%) in the APAC MVAS market, followed by individual consumers (34%) and government/public sector buyers (13%). Enterprises—including financial institutions, retail, and healthcare—are adopting MVAS for customer engagement, payment integration, and productivity solutions. End users, especially millennials, are driving demand for entertainment and social communication. The government sector, at 13%, is investing in digital public services, including mobile identity, health, and smart governance initiatives. The remaining 10% includes education and nonprofit organizations leveraging mobile platforms for service delivery and outreach, reflecting the sector’s growing breadth.
Study Coverage
| Metrics | Details |
|---|
| Years | 2020-2035 |
| Base Year | 2025 |
| Market Size | Revenue (USD Million) |
| Regions | China, India, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, Australia, South Korea, Rest of APAC |
| Segments | Type: Short Messaging Service (SMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), Mobile Email & IM, Mobile Money, Mobile Advertising, Location Based Services (LBS); Application: Entertainment, Utilities, Ecommerce, Healthcare, Government, Education; Distribution Channels: Telecom Operators, Value Added Service Providers, Application Stores, Device Manufacturers, Online Portals, Others; Technology: 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, Others, Hybrid Technologies; Organization Size: Small, Medium, Large |
| Players | Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Bharti Airtel Limited, Vodafone Group Plc, China Mobile Ltd., KT Corporation, NTT Docomo Inc., Telstra Corporation Limited, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, SK Telecom Co., Ltd., Singtel, Globe Telecom Inc., Dialog Axiata PLC, XL Axiata Tbk PT, SoftBank Corp., Telenor Group |
Key Recent Developments
- June 2024: SK Telecom launches immersive AR/VR entertainment VAS in partnership with Nreal, targeting youth audiences in South Korea and Japan.
- July 2024: Bharti Airtel expands rural MVAS portfolio in India through Airtel Payments Bank integrating mobile health and e-government alerts.
- August 2024: China Mobile introduces blockchain-backed privacy features for its mobile wallet VAS, aiming to boost consumer trust and regulatory compliance.
- September 2024: SoftBank collaborates with Yahoo Japan to launch AI-enhanced personalized marketing VAS for small enterprises and ecommerce platforms.
- October 2024: Telstra deploys a new telemedicine VAS platform in Australia, advancing remote health access for regional and rural communities.
