TikTok Projects APAC Creator Economy to Hit $1.2T by 2030
TikTok projects APAC creator economy will reach $1.2T by 2030 as authenticity drives purchase behavior. Nine in 10 consumers now prioritize genuine content over polished brand campaigns.
Creator-led marketing across Asia Pacific will generate US$1.2 trillion in commercial value by 2030, representing a 1.4-fold increase from 2025 levels, according to TikTok's new whitepaper, The Art and Science of Authenticity. The research reveals that nine in 10 APAC consumers now base purchase decisions on content authenticity rather than production quality, marking a fundamental shift in how brands drive sales across the region.
Authenticity Drives Measurable Purchase Behavior
The research quantifies a clear performance gap between authentic creator content and traditional brand campaigns. Seventy-six percent of consumers are more likely to search, click, or add items to their cart after engaging with genuine-feeling content. Conversely, three in four consumers now actively skip content that appears too polished or inauthentic.
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User-generated content is perceived as 2.4 times more authentic than traditional brand-produced videos across APAC markets. This authenticity gap translates directly to commercial outcomes, with TikTok's Live Shopping format driving 22% higher conversion rates compared to standard product videos.
"In today's post-perfection era, influence belongs not only to top-tier creators, but to anyone who feels real," said Chew Wee Ng, TikTok's head of business marketing for Asia Pacific.
The creator ecosystem itself is expanding rapidly. TikTok's monetized creator base grew 1,267% year-on-year as of Q3 2025, positioning it among the fastest-growing creator economies globally. Vietnamese creator Jayni achieved 87-fold revenue growth and 94-fold commission volume growth between 2024 and 2025, demonstrating the commercial scalability of authentic content in Southeast Asian markets.
AI Accelerates Production Without Replacing Creativity
Two in three APAC consumers support the use of AI-generated content (AIGC), with TikTok users showing 1.5 times higher interest compared to users on other platforms. Rather than replacing human creators, AI tools are streamlining production at unprecedented speeds.
Unilever's Vaseline campaign used TikTok Symphony to generate 2,000 images in just three days and produce over 330 creator-led videos. TikTok creator collaborations featuring purchase links led to a 34% increase in product trial rates for some campaigns.
Regional Variations Shape Creator Strategies
Consumer preferences vary significantly across APAC markets. In Australia, 39% of TikTok users find brands that showcase personality more relevant, while 45% of social and video platform users value brands that make them feel understood. Indonesian users show 1.3 times higher likelihood of anticipating AI-enhanced authentic ads compared to other APAC markets.
Over 50% of APAC consumers now use short-form video apps like TikTok for product discovery, prioritizing mobile-first authentic storytelling over traditional advertising channels. Fifty-one percent of users seek culturally relevant content showcasing authentic lifestyles of people like them.
Creator marketing is also expanding beyond traditional beauty, fashion, and lifestyle categories into gaming, financial services, apps, and consumer electronics. Creators are increasingly deployed to explain complexity and influence high-consideration purchases.
TikTok-BCG research positions Shoppertainment as a US$1 trillion APAC opportunity by 2025, with markets like Indonesia reaching US$27 billion (30% penetration) and Japan and Korea showing US$22 billion combined potential.
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