Asia-Pacific has slipped from third to fourth place globally in fraud protection, according to the latest Global Fraud Index released by Sumsub, a leader in verification and anti-fraud solutions. The region now trails Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas, with countries like Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, and Malaysia experiencing significant declines in their rankings. This drop highlights the growing gap between rapid digital growth and the implementation of effective fraud prevention measures.
Despite the overall decline, Singapore stands out by leading globally in the Government Intervention pillar, reflecting its commitment to building a robust anti-fraud infrastructure and fostering public-private collaboration. New Zealand, Singapore, and Australia are among the top Asia-Pacific countries most protected against fraud, with New Zealand ranking seventh globally.
Penny Chai, Vice President of APAC at Sumsub, noted that the findings “underscore the unique challenges faced by APAC’s fast-growing digital economies, where rapid innovation is increasing exposure to sophisticated fraud.” The Index, which benchmarks fraud exposure and government responses across 112 countries, combines Sumsub’s internal verification data with insights from external sources like the World Bank and Transparency International.
In response to these challenges, Sumsub will host its inaugural What The Fraud (WTF) Summit in Singapore from 19 to 20 November 2025, aiming to advance public-private collaboration on fraud prevention. This event will bring together regional experts to discuss compliance trends and strategies to bolster fraud defences in the Asia-Pacific region.
