TIKTOK AND ASEAN-BAC CATALYSE ASEAN MSME GROWTH THROUGH E-COMMERCE
ASEAN retailers and artisans to showcase digital transformation at the ASEAN Business Investment & Summit 2025
Kuala Lumpur, 7 October 2025 – The ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) in partnership with TikTok Shop will feature top-performing Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) of the ASEAN SOAR (Supporting Our Artisans and Retailers) Together Programme at the upcoming ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2025. This initiative empowers 50 selected MSMEs across all 10 ASEAN Member States.
Winners of this Business Challenge will be featured at a dedicated ASEAN SOAR Together booth during the two-day event. These participating MSMEs will present their transformational journeys to regional leaders, policymakers, and global businesses. This programme is in line with Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 theme of “Inclusivity and Sustainability.” The ASEAN SOAR Together also directly contributes to the core objectives set out in the 2025 Blueprints of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC). Collectively, these efforts drive forward the region’s shared vision of “ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future.”
MSMEs are the backbone of ASEAN’s economy, accounting for 97-99 percent of businesses and contributing significantly to job creation and economic growth. Yet, many face barriers to digital adoption, including limited access to digital tools, low market visibility, and lack of structured strategies. ASEAN SOAR Together addresses these challenges by equipping participants with practical skills in e-commerce, live selling, digital marketing, and shop management on TikTok Shop, supported by direct mentorship and regional networking.
Tan Sri Nazir Razak, Chairman of ASEAN-BAC said, “This partnership represents a critical step in empowering our region’s MSMEs. As the apex private sector body for ASEAN, we recognise that MSMEs form the cornerstone of our economies yet face significant barriers to digital adoption. At the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2025, we will showcase tangible results of how practical digital, e-commerce, and live selling skills, combined with regional market access, create maximum economic impact.”
Dr, Piti Srisangnam, the Executive Director at the ASEAN Foundation said “The ASEAN Foundation is fully committed to helping Micro, Small, and Medium Businesses (MSMEs), seeing their essential role as the very heart and engine of the ASEAN economy and the key driver of growth that includes everyone. These businesses do more than just produce
numbers; they are the bedrock of community strength, securing futures, and ensuring that every single community has a share in our region’s powerful story of progress. Yet, too many still hit roadblocks and face high walls that keep them from using the vast potential of the internet and digital marketplaces. Through the ASEAN SOAR Together program, we are taking direct action to break down these barriers, giving entrepreneurs the necessary digital skills, unshakeable confidence, and vital connections they need to win online. Ultimately, when these businesses thrive, it’s a profound win for everyone: families are lifted up, communities become stronger, and the collective future of ASEAN moves forward together.”
Out of the 50 MSMEs selected for the programme, 80 percent are women-led, and nearly three-quarters have women-dominated teams. 48 percent are led by youth, and 12 percent are owned by individuals from minority or indigenous groups, reflecting the programme’s commitment to inclusivity and representation. Many of these enterprises go beyond business growth. More than half actively support rural communities, and almost all have integrated social impact aspects into their models, addressing all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals through their activities.
The participating enterprises span 10 diverse sectors, with the majority drawn from Creative Crafts and Fashion, Food and Beverages, and Beauty. Examples include sustainable aquaculture ventures, upcycled fashion brands, artisanal jewellery makers, and clean beauty innovators. Together, they demonstrate the breadth of creativity and innovation driving ASEAN’s future economy.
“Our mission to inspire creativity and bring joy expands to a longstanding commitment to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), particularly in underserved communities in Southeast Asia, contributing to regional socio-economic growth. As we unlock real-world opportunities for creators and MSMEs through the power of discovery and connection, we are proud to support Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 and continue our collaboration with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, which also shares a similar goal of future-scaling businesses and fostering greater inclusivity and sustainable growth across the region,” added Chanida Klyphun, Director of Southeast Asia Public Policy, TikTok
