12 Retail Media Platforms Reshaping How APAC Brands Buy Commerce Ads
APAC retail media spend hits $200B by 2029. Explore 12 platforms—from Moloco's ML infrastructure to super-app ecosystems—transforming how brands buy commerce ads across the region.
Asia-Pacific's retail media revolution is accelerating at breakneck speed, with the region projected to reach over US$200 billion in retail media spend by 2029. For CMOs and commerce leaders planning 2026-2027 media strategies, this isn't just about Amazon and Walmart anymore. The landscape now includes machine learning-powered infrastructure providers enabling three-month platform launches, super-app ecosystems monetizing ride-hailing data, and specialized technology companies powering the world's largest retailers.
This guide profiles 12 platforms driving APAC's retail media boom, from homegrown Korean commerce networks to Indian quick-commerce pioneers and Australian retail technology specialists. Each platform represents a different approach to solving the same challenge: how to turn first-party shopping data into high-performing advertising that benefits merchants, brands, and consumers simultaneously.
Whether you're evaluating where to allocate 2026 budgets or considering building your own retail media network, these platforms demonstrate proven capabilities across luxury marketplaces, food delivery, home goods, and fast-moving consumer goods.
Moloco Retail Media Platform
Moloco provides machine learning-powered infrastructure that enables retailers and marketplaces to launch full-scale advertising businesses in months rather than years. The company's API-first platform handles the complex technical requirements of sponsored product listings, auction-based bidding, and personalized targeting using first-party data.
Mission Media
Key Details:
- Specialization: Machine learning advertising infrastructure for retailers and marketplaces
- Regional Coverage: Strong presence in Korea with expanding APAC footprint
- Platform Capabilities: Search and product detail page placements, automated bidding, performance-based pricing
- Notable Clients: Bucketplace oHouse, Balaan, Yogiyo
- Deployment Speed: Full retail media network launch in three months
Moloco's approach focuses on enhancing user experience through relevant sponsored ads rather than disruptive display advertising. The platform's machine learning algorithms optimize for ROAS by analyzing shopping behavior patterns and purchase intent signals. For commerce platforms with 10,000+ merchants and substantial first-party data, Moloco provides the technical backbone to monetize traffic without building advertising technology in-house.
Learn more about Moloco's retail media solutions
Bucketplace oHouse
Bucketplace's oHouse is a Korean home and living app with over 20 million downloads and 10,000+ merchants, demonstrating how quickly established marketplaces can enter retail media. Using Moloco's infrastructure, oHouse launched a complete advertising business in three months and onboarded 15% of merchants in the first quarter.
Key Details:
- Founded: Korean home and living marketplace
- Platform Size: 20 million+ downloads, 10,000+ merchants
- Retail Media Launch: Three months from decision to full deployment
- Performance Results: 2.2% increase in shopper purchases, doubled or tripled GMV/ROAS for some merchants
- Ad Formats: Sponsored search and product detail page placements
The oHouse case demonstrates that mid-sized marketplaces can rapidly build advertising revenue streams without massive technology investments. By focusing on search and product page placements where purchase intent is highest, the platform delivers results for merchants while maintaining user experience. The 15% merchant adoption rate in quarter one suggests strong demand for performance-based advertising among sellers seeking visibility in crowded categories.
Read the full oHouse case study
Balaan
Balaan operates a luxury marketplace serving 162 million users, positioning retail media as a solution for premium brands seeking targeted reach without diluting brand equity. The platform achieved 5x advertiser growth in six months after implementing Moloco's retail media infrastructure.
Key Details:
- Market Position: Luxury fashion and lifestyle marketplace
- User Base: 162 million users
- Growth Trajectory: 5x advertiser growth in six months
- Vertical Focus: Premium and luxury brands
- Technology Partner: Moloco machine learning platform
Balaan's success demonstrates that retail media works across price points, not just mass-market categories. Luxury brands traditionally cautious about digital advertising find value in sponsored listings that appear alongside organic search results, maintaining brand context while driving measurable performance. The rapid advertiser growth suggests luxury brands are reallocating budgets from traditional digital channels to commerce media environments where purchase intent is explicit.
Yogiyo
Yogiyo extends retail media beyond physical products into food delivery, generating 3.5x ad-driven GMV using Moloco's commerce media technology. The platform demonstrates how service marketplaces can monetize first-party data from ordering behavior.
Key Details:
- Category: Food delivery platform
- Location: Korea
- Performance Metric: 3.5x ad-driven GMV
- Targeting Approach: First-party data from food ordering patterns
- Merchant Benefit: Increased visibility during high-intent search moments
Food delivery represents a unique retail media opportunity because ordering frequency creates rich behavioral data. Restaurants can sponsor placements during relevant search queries (e.g., "Korean BBQ" or "late-night delivery") or appear in recommended sections based on user preferences. The 3.5x GMV multiplier indicates that sponsored placements drive substantial incremental orders beyond organic discovery.
Skai
Skai provides commerce media management across multiple platforms from a single interface, covering 100+ publishers and retailers including Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect, TikTok, and Snap. The platform uses machine learning for bidding, budgeting, and audience targeting with flat annual pricing not tied to media spend.
Key Details:
- Platform Type: Commerce media management across multiple platforms
- Publisher Integrations: 100+ including Amazon, Walmart, TikTok, Snap
- Pricing Model: Flat annual fee (not percentage of spend)
- AI Capabilities: Executive Copilot for insights, anomaly detection, creative asset analysis
- Recent Innovation: Enhanced commerce media capabilities launched at ShopAble 2024
For brands managing retail media across multiple markets and platforms, Skai solves the fragmentation challenge. Rather than logging into separate dashboards for Amazon Japan, Shopee Singapore, and Lazada Thailand, marketers can manage campaigns, compare performance, and optimize budgets from one interface. The flat pricing model appeals to large advertisers who would otherwise pay percentage-based fees on substantial media spend.
Explore Skai's capabilities across multiple platforms
Grab Ads
Grab outperforms traditional marketplace competitors Shopee and Lazada in Southeast Asian consumer ad receptivity, positioning the super-app's retail media network as the region's leading commerce advertising platform. Grab's advantage stems from first-party data spanning ride-hailing, food delivery, payments, and financial services.
Key Details:
- Platform Type: Super-app retail media network
- Geographic Coverage: Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam)
- Data Advantage: Cross-service behavioral data (transportation, food, payments)
- Competitive Position: Leads Shopee and Lazada in consumer ad receptivity
- Ad Environments: In-app placements across multiple service categories
Super-app retail media represents the next evolution beyond marketplace advertising. When Grab knows your commute patterns, lunch preferences, and payment behavior, advertisers can reach consumers in contextually relevant moments. A coffee brand might sponsor placements during morning ride bookings, while restaurants can target users in specific neighborhoods during meal times. This contextual precision drives the higher consumer receptivity compared to traditional marketplace ads.
Amazon Ads APAC
Amazon leads as the most preferred retail media platform among APAC consumers in 2024, ranking top in five of eight markets for trustworthy and relevant ads. The platform climbed three spots from 2023, though a disconnect exists between consumer trust and marketer adoption, with Amazon ranking only seventh among marketers' platform preferences.
Key Details:
- Consumer Trust: Top-ranked in five of eight APAC markets
- Year-over-Year: Climbed three spots from 2023
- Marketer Adoption: Seventh in marketer platform preferences
- Market Presence: Strong in Singapore, Australia, Japan, India
- Ad Products: Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Display, Amazon DSP
The consumer-marketer disconnect suggests opportunity for brands willing to test Amazon's APAC inventory. While marketers still prioritize YouTube, Instagram, and Google, consumers demonstrate higher receptivity to Amazon's commerce-focused ad formats. This gap may reflect Amazon's smaller APAC footprint compared to Western markets, but growing consumer trust indicates the platform is building credibility in the region.
Zepto
Zepto leads India's quick-commerce retail media revolution, delivering 2.3-3.8x ROAS by extending campaigns beyond owned properties to CTV, audio, and open web inventory through integration with The Trade Desk. The platform represents a new category of retail media built on 10-15 minute delivery promises.
Key Details:
- Category: Quick-commerce (10-minute grocery delivery)
- Geographic Focus: India metros
- ROAS Performance: 2.3-3.8x across channels
- Programmatic Integration: The Trade Desk for closed-loop measurement
- Growth Indicator: 3x increase in RFP requests
Quick-commerce retail media works because purchase cycles are measured in hours, not days or weeks. A beverage brand can sponsor morning placements and measure afternoon purchases, creating tight feedback loops for optimization. Zepto's integration with The Trade Desk enables brands to use quick-commerce purchase data for targeting across programmatic inventory, extending retail media's reach beyond the app while maintaining closed-loop attribution.
Blinkit, Instamart, and BigBasket
India's quick-commerce platforms collectively deliver 2.3-3.8x ROAS by using first-party purchase data for advertising across apps, CTV, and audio channels. Together with Zepto, these platforms are driving 21.9% growth in India retail media spend, outpacing both search and social advertising.
Key Details:
- Platform Group: Blinkit (Zomato-owned), Instamart (Swiggy), BigBasket (Tata)
- Combined Performance: 2.3-3.8x ROAS
- Market Growth: 21.9% retail media spend growth in 2024
- Advertiser Demand: 3x growth in RFP requests
- Channel Expansion: Apps, CTV, audio, open web
The Indian quick-commerce boom creates unique retail media opportunities because these platforms serve as primary grocery channels in metros, not occasional convenience options. Daily or twice-daily ordering generates rich purchase data that traditional retailers lack. Brands shifting budgets from TV and print to quick-commerce retail media cite better targeting, closed-loop measurement, and the ability to drive immediate purchases rather than delayed conversions.
TikTok Shop
TikTok Shop integrates full-funnel retail media capabilities from discovery to transaction, combining social commerce with livestream shopping across China, India, and Southeast Asia. The platform represents convergence between entertainment, social networking, and commerce.
Key Details:
- Platform Type: Social commerce with integrated retail media
- Geographic Expansion: Strong growth in Southeast Asia and India
- Ad Formats: In-feed shopping ads, livestream sponsorships, creator partnerships
- Commerce Integration: Native checkout without leaving app
- Trend Alignment: Livestream shopping and social commerce surge for 2025
TikTok Shop's retail media differs from traditional marketplace advertising because discovery happens through entertainment content rather than search. Brands sponsor creator content, livestream events, or in-feed placements that feel native to the scrolling experience. The integrated checkout removes friction between ad exposure and purchase, creating compressed conversion funnels. For brands targeting younger consumers in APAC markets, TikTok Shop offers reach that traditional e-commerce platforms struggle to match.
Perion Network
Perion's SORT technology (Smart Optimization of Responsive Traits) delivers AI-powered cookieless targeting that matches or exceeds third-party cookie performance. With 150+ global brands using the technology, Perion addresses the privacy-first future of retail media.
Key Details:
- Technology Focus: Cookieless targeting and audience matching
- Performance Validation: Exceeds cookie-based methods in client tests
- Global Adoption: 150+ brands
- Recognition: Silver Stevie Award for AI/Machine Learning Solution
- Retail Media Application: Privacy-compliant targeting for open web campaigns
As third-party cookies disappear, retail media platforms need alternative targeting methods for campaigns extending beyond owned properties. Perion's SORT technology uses machine learning to identify audience patterns without individual user tracking, enabling retail media networks to offer programmatic reach while maintaining privacy compliance. For retail media platforms expanding into CTV, audio, and display inventory, cookieless solutions become essential infrastructure.
CitrusAd (Unlisted but Notable)
While detailed research wasn't provided, CitrusAd deserves mention as an Australian retail media specialist reportedly powering 10+ of the world's top 20 retailers. The company represents the infrastructure layer enabling traditional retailers to compete with Amazon's advertising capabilities.
Key Details:
- Origin: Australian retail media technology company
- Client Base: 10+ of world's top 20 retailers (reported)
- Specialization: Retail media infrastructure for brick-and-mortar retailers
- Geographic Reach: Global with APAC origins
CitrusAd's significance lies in democratizing retail media technology for traditional retailers lacking Amazon's engineering resources. By providing white-label infrastructure, the company enables grocery chains, department stores, and specialty retailers to launch advertising businesses that monetize both online and in-store traffic.
Choosing the Right Platform for Your 2026-2027 Strategy
The APAC retail media landscape offers solutions for every budget and objective. Machine learning infrastructure providers like Moloco enable retailers to build owned networks in months. Platforms like Skai consolidate management across fragmented markets. Super-apps like Grab provide contextual reach beyond traditional commerce moments. Quick-commerce platforms deliver compressed conversion cycles with same-day measurement.
For brands, the strategic question isn't whether to invest in retail media, but which platforms align with your product categories, target markets, and measurement requirements. The 24% projected growth in APAC programmatic advertising for 2025 suggests retail media will increasingly extend beyond owned properties into CTV, audio, and display inventory, making platform partnerships that offer both on-site and off-site capabilities particularly valuable.
The US$200 billion opportunity isn't evenly distributed. India's 21.9% growth rate and Southeast Asia's super-app adoption create different opportunities than mature markets like Australia and Japan. Success requires matching platform capabilities to market dynamics, understanding whether your customers respond better to marketplace search ads or livestream shopping, and building measurement frameworks that connect retail media spend to actual business outcomes.
Have you tested any of these retail media platforms for your APAC campaigns? The infrastructure is ready. The question is whether your 2026 strategy takes advantage of it.
Want to stay up-to-date on the stories shaping Asia's media, marketing, and comms industry? Subscribe to Mission Media for exclusive insights, campaign deep-dives, and actionable intel.
