HCM CITY — As the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) accelerates its digital economy, AI and digital government ambitions, digital trust is becoming a critical factor in whether citizens, businesses and governments can confidently embrace digital services.

 Two new GSMA reports launched at the Digital Trust Summit at M360 ASEAN warn that online scams, fraud and digital deception are increasingly challenging that trust and could undermine progress towards broader digital ambitions.

The first report, the GSMA ASEAN Consumer Scam Report 2026, found that nearly half (45 per cent) of reported scam cases across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Việt Nam remain unresolved despite consumers taking more steps to protect themselves. Consumers with unresolved cases report lower levels of trust in communications channels, digital platforms and data sharing, while many have changed how they engage with digital services and inbound communications.

The report also found that nearly one in ten (eight per cent) consumers surveyed reported being scammed in the previous 12 months. Among scam victims, 68 per cent lost money and, of those, 82 per cent recovered none of their losses. Only 10 per cent recovered all losses. Consumers who have experienced scams are more than twice as likely to switch accounts or service providers than those who have not been affected.

The second report, Digital Nations 2026: Building Trusted Digital Ecosystems in ASEAN, argues that trust has become a strategic enabler of ASEAN's digital future. As countries across the region advance digital economy strategies, AI adoption, digital government programmes and cross-border digital integration, the report highlights that confidence in digital infrastructure, services and institutions increasingly determines whether digitalisation translates into adoption, innovation, investment and socioeconomic impact.

The report notes that emerging technologies are transforming the nature of digital trust itself. AI is enabling increasingly sophisticated phishing attacks, deepfakes, voice cloning and digital impersonation, making it harder for individuals and organisations to distinguish legitimate interactions from fraudulent ones. As a result, digital trust increasingly depends on the ability of the ecosystem to verify identities, authenticate communications, strengthen resilience and share trusted intelligence to prevent harm before it occurs.

The report argues that strengthening these foundations requires coordination across governments, regulators, mobile operators, financial institutions, digital platforms and other ecosystem participants. While traditionally viewed as connectivity providers, mobile operators increasingly contribute to all four trust foundations through identity verification, network security, fraud prevention, authentication services and trusted intelligence-sharing initiatives. Across ASEAN, operators are helping governments, businesses and citizens participate more safely and confidently in the digital economy.

Importantly, deeper regional collaboration can amplify the impact of national initiatives, helping countries learn from one another, strengthen resilience and build greater confidence in ASEAN’s digital transformation. 

The Digital Trust Summit at M360 ASEAN brought together leaders from government, industry and international organisations to explore how ASEAN can strengthen trust in digital interactions and build more secure, resilient and inclusive digital ecosystems. — BIZHUB/VNS