Southeast Asian Shopping App Installs Jump as Singapore and Indonesia Lead Gains

Shopping app downloads across Southeast Asia surged in the first half of 2026, led by a 67 per cent jump in Singapore.

Average session duration in Singapore expanded 58 per cent over the same period as regional platforms stepped up user acquisition spending.

Data from mobile analytics firm Adjust shows Vietnam recorded a 42 per cent rise in e-commerce application installs alongside a 21 per cent gain in session length. Indonesia registered a 36 per cent increase in installs and a 62 per cent jump in session time. Malaysia saw downloads rise 14 per cent and sessions increase 38 per cent, while Indian app installs climbed 37 per cent against a 42 per cent increase in sessions.

Platform Spending and Acquisition Battles

Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop are competing directly for user traffic across the region, channeling higher advertising budgets into external media channels including YouTube. Shopee has maintained quarterly revenue expansion of nearly 50 per cent, but escalating logistics requirements and higher sales expenses continue to weigh on operating budgets.

Fulfillment across fragmented island networks and developing road corridors keeps shipping expensive across Southeast Asia. Those operational complexities earlier prompted Amazon to halt regional expansion plans beyond Singapore.

Usage Gaps Behind Western Markets

Actual time spent inside shopping apps across Asia remains lower than the global average despite the sharp uptick in downloads. North American shopping apps logged a 46 per cent increase in installs and a 26 per cent rise in session length over the same timeframe, holding higher total engagement per user.

RetailNews Asia tracking shows marketplace operators are now focused on closing that engagement deficit as consumer acquisition costs rise heading into the final quarters of 2026.