
Oil Exceeds $102: Who’s Making Quiet Money in Southeast Asia
The quiet money is going to brands that sell to Southeast Asia’s own shoppers through local creators and content commerce. Oil above $100 raises shipping costs, yet the region’s digital economy passed $300 billion in 2025 with e-commerce at $185 billion (Google-Temasek-Bain e-Conomy SEA, 2025) and TikTok Shop’s Southeast Asia GMV doubled to $45.6 billion, with Indonesia at $13.1 billion (Momentum Works, February 2026). Influencers surveyed by Vero reported a 72% increase in sponsored content requests (Vero, December 2024).








