You’re ready to sell online in Southeast Asia, and every guide you read says something different about where to start. Here’s what the latest regional data says about Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop, and how to choose without guessing.

How big is e-commerce in Southeast Asia?

Southeast Asia’s platform e-commerce reached US$157.6 billion in GMV in 2025, growing 22.8%, the fastest pace in four years. Those figures come from the fourth edition of Momentum Works’ Ecommerce in Southeast Asia report, which found growth of 22.8% to US$157.6 billion (Momentum Works, 2026).

For a small seller, the headline is simple: the pool of online buyers is large and still expanding quickly, so a new seller isn’t fighting over a shrinking pie.

Southeast Asia’s platform e-commerce reached US$157.6 billion in GMV in 2025, growing 22.8%, the fastest pace in four years (Momentum Works, 2026).

How fast was the market growing before 2025?

In 2024 the market grew 12% to US$145.2 billion, with Shopee holding 52% of platform GMV. KrASIA reported those numbers from an earlier Momentum Works report, with 12% growth in 2024 against 22.8% in 2025 (KrASIA, 2025), so growth looks to have sped up sharply in a year.

One caution: the 2024 figure includes US$16.8 billion of sales made outside the big platforms, so it isn’t a like-for-like comparison with the 2025 platform-only number. The direction is clear even if the exact gap isn’t.

Which marketplace is biggest in Southeast Asia?

Shopee is the largest, holding about 53% of regional platform GMV and ranking first in all six core markets. That’s a slight rise from its 52% share in 2024 (KrASIA, 2025), so the leader isn’t losing ground.

A larger platform means more shoppers already browsing, which matters when you’re a small seller without a big advertising budget. It doesn’t guarantee sales, but it does mean the audience is already there.

Shopee holds about 53% of regional platform GMV and ranks first in all six core Southeast Asian markets (Momentum Works, 2026).

How big is TikTok Shop compared with Shopee?

TikTok Shop, including Tokopedia, reached a combined GMV equal to about 65.7% of Shopee’s. The same report puts it at roughly two-thirds of Shopee’s volume (Momentum Works, 2026), which makes it the clear number-two contender rather than a niche channel.

Note that the figure combines TikTok Shop with Tokopedia, so it isn’t a pure TikTok Shop number, and the report we used doesn’t give a standalone share for it.

How much of the market do the big three platforms control?

Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop (with Tokopedia) together hold about 98.8% of platform e-commerce GMV, so these three cover almost all marketplace sales in the region. That leaves only about 1.2% of platform sales (Momentum Works, 2026) for everyone else.

For you, that makes the shortlist easy. You don’t need to research a dozen smaller marketplaces; the choice is among three. The table below summarises what the report says about each.

Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop together hold about 98.8% of platform e-commerce GMV in Southeast Asia, so these three cover almost all marketplace sales (Momentum Works, 2026).

How much of marketplace sales now comes from content commerce?

Content commerce, such as live streams and short video, generated US$49.7 billion in 2025, about 32% of platform GMV, up from 20% in 2024. That’s a 12-point jump in one year (Momentum Works, 2026), which means buyers increasingly discover products through video rather than search.

If you’re choosing where to start, this is worth weighing against your own strengths. A seller who’s comfortable on camera has a different path from one who relies on listings and search.

Content commerce generated US$49.7 billion in 2025, about 32% of platform GMV, up from 20% in 2024 (Momentum Works, 2026).

Where is Southeast Asian e-commerce growing fastest?

Thailand and Malaysia grew fastest in 2025, with GMV rising 51.8% and 47.6% respectively. DealStreetAsia, reporting on the Momentum Works findings, confirmed both figures, at 51.8% and 47.6% (DealStreetAsia, 2026), well above the 22.8% regional average.

If you plan to ship across borders, those two markets are where demand is rising fastest. Singapore also grew by double digits, though the report doesn’t publish an exact rate.

Which country is the largest e-commerce market in Southeast Asia?

Indonesia remains the largest market, with about 37% of regional GMV. That’s over a third of all platform sales in the region (Momentum Works, 2026), so any seller thinking about reach should know where the volume sits.

Size and growth point in different directions here: Indonesia is the biggest, while Thailand and Malaysia are growing fastest. Which one matters depends on where your products can realistically ship.

Is Lazada still worth selling on?

Lazada is still worth a place in your plan, because Singapore’s platform sales grew by double digits in 2025 and Lazada is gaining share there after moving to a brand-led strategy. The report gives no Singapore-only GMV figure (Momentum Works, 2026), so treat this as a direction rather than a precise number.

Here’s a practical way to choose where to start:

1. Begin with Shopee unless your buyers clearly sit on another platform, because it’s the largest platform and leads in every core market.
2. Match the platform to where your customers live: Indonesia has the most volume, while Thailand and Malaysia are growing fastest.
3. Decide whether video or live selling suits you, since content commerce is now about a third of platform sales.
4. Add a second marketplace, such as Lazada, only once your stock count is reliable.

That last step is where most small sellers get stuck, because two marketplaces means two places selling the same stock. Asalta eCommerce connects an online store and marketplace listings to central stock, so adding a platform doesn’t mean adding another count to keep in your head. Start small, connect later.

Key Takeaways

• 53% share: Shopee is the largest platform and ranks first in all six core markets, which makes it the default starting point.
• 98.8% in three platforms: Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop cover almost all marketplace sales, so your shortlist is short.
• 32% from content commerce: video and live selling are now a third of platform sales, so match the platform to how you like to sell.
• One marketplace first, then a second: add another platform only when your stock count is reliable.