KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 — TikTok contributed RM20 billion in gross value added to Malaysia’s economy in 2025 and supported more than 147,000 jobs the social media platform said in a socioeconomic impact report released today, underpinning the country’s rapidly growing digital economy.

In early 2024, TikTok said it had 28.68 million users in Malaysia, representing roughly 84.4 per cent of the country’s internet users.

Approximately 80 per cent of surveyed creators and users in Malaysia said TikTok Live boosted their income, spurred brand partnerships, or content creation. 

Small and medium-sized businesses in South-east Asia reported a nearly 50 per cent increase in revenue after utilising TikTok, the report said, with 80 per cent transitioning from offline to online marketing.

The platform said it had onboarded more than 100,000 micro, small, and medium enterprises, including those in semi-urban and rural areas.

“Digital success must be measured by real economic value,” said Minister of Economy Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, who launched the report at the St. Regis Hotel here.

“The real question is this: does digital participation help businesses grow? Does it improve productivity? Does it create jobs and income? Does it connect communities to new information, new markets, and new opportunities?”

Among other highlighted data from the report pointed to a significant “online-to-offline” trend, with 68 per cent of survey respondents stating they purchased products in physical stores after discovering them on the app. 

Researchers said this suggests digital discovery is playing an increasingly crucial role in driving retail footfall and supporting local brands.

Malaysia’s “creator economy” has also matured, with millions of users generating income through live-streaming features. The report cited high-profile influencers such as Khairul Aming as examples of how community-building and storytelling are being used as viable entrepreneurship models.

Despite the growth, Akmal cautioned that the expansion of the digital sector requires stricter oversight. 

He outlined three government priorities for the next phase of development — deepening digital skills and capability-building, strengthening digital commerce infrastructure and safeguarding the ecosystem through increased transparency and fraud protection.

“A trusted digital ecosystem underpins sustainable growth,” Akmal said, noting that the Ministry of Economy is coordinating with other agencies, including the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), to ensure the sector delivers “better-quality jobs” for Malaysians.