TikTok Shop reinforces its commitment to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across Southeast Asia by working closely with ASEAN governments, ministries, and agencies to accelerate their digital transformation journey. As MSMEs form the backbone of ASEAN’s economy, contributing to employment, innovation, and growth, TikTok Shop will continue to innovate efforts to help enterprises unlock their full potential through digital commerce and visibility.
During the recent ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 11 MSMEs took the spotlight to share their transformation stories and conduct LIVE selling sessions to ASEAN audiences, showcasing the power of digital commerce in real time. This included five entrepreneurs from the ASEAN Supporting Our Artisans and Retailers (SOAR) Together program and six TikTok Shop sellers, each demonstrating how creativity, innovation, and digital tools are transforming small businesses across the region. Filipino MSMEs MAGWAI and Alta Philippines represented the country at the summit, showcasing how local enterprises are thriving through social commerce and creative entrepreneurship.
While businesses play a vital role in driving ASEAN’s economy, many still face challenges in embracing digital transformation due to limited access to tools, low online visibility, and the lack of scalable business strategies. To bridge these gaps, TikTok Shop, in collaboration with the ASEAN Foundation and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Malaysia, launched the ASEAN SOAR Together program — a regional initiative that empowers 50 MSMEs representing over 150 entrepreneurs across ASEAN with tailored training, digital skills development, and visibility opportunities.
“TikTok Shop is deeply committed to supporting the digital transformation and upskilling of MSMEs, and the ASEAN SOAR Together program is a prime example of how we are empowering these MSMEs. Through a combination of training, real-world application, and curated exposure opportunities across ASEAN, we’re empowering entrepreneurs with the tools and opportunities to help them thrive digitally. Most importantly, we’re enabling them to harness the power of TikTok Shop’s unique discovery-to-purchase ecosystem. Our platform’s communities, connected by shared interests, create a powerful digital storefront where anyone can be seen, engaged, and succeed. We are heartened by early successes where participating sellers have seen a robust increase in sales and conversion rates after applying insights learnt from the program and engaging in live selling,” said Chanida Klyphun, Director of Public Policy for Southeast Asia, TikTok.
Filipino MSMEs Take the Stage
The ASEAN SOAR Together programme wrapped up at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where five top-performing enterprises took centre stage to showcase their creativity, resilience, and innovation.
Representing the Philippines among the top-performing ASEAN enterprises, MAGWAI, a sustainable personal care brand, took center stage. Known for its reef-safe sunscreen, plastic-free shampoo bars, and eco-friendly towels, MAGWAI showcased how Filipino entrepreneurs are blending sustainability with innovation through TikTok Shop.
Since joining the ASEAN SOAR Together Program, MAGWAI has strengthened its live-selling capabilities and digital marketing strategies, resulting in stronger engagement and steady sales growth on TikTok Shop. The brand continues to inspire more Filipino consumers to embrace sustainable choices while expanding its regional presence.
Also joining the Philippine delegation was Alta Philippines, a Marikina-based shoe brand, which shared its success story as part of TikTok Shop’s growing community of digital-first businesses. Alta Philippines highlighted how the platform’s training programs, analytics tools, and community-driven features have enabled it to scale operations and reach new audiences nationwide.
During the summit, ASEAN delegates, such as George Barcelon, Chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and ASEAN-BAC Philippines Member, had the opportunity to visit TikTok Shop’s booth, where they were introduced to the innovative ways their local MSMEs are leveraging the platform to drive growth. Delegates were impressed by the live demonstrations of the five top-performing enterprises’ LIVE selling sessions. Many acknowledged TikTok Shop’s transformative power in uplifting MSMEs by providing accessible tools, training, and a platform that helps amplify their businesses and look forward to potential collaborations in the near future.
Driving Inclusive Growth Through Digital Empowerment
“Our presence at ABIS 2025, concurrent with the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, provides a powerful platform to demonstrate the tangible success of our capacity-building efforts,” said Dr. Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation. “Seeing our MSMEs—the backbone of the ASEAN economy—showcase their growth and digital resilience on this international stage is a moment of immense pride. This success validates the ASEAN SOAR Together program and the unwavering commitment of our partner, TikTok Shop, in equipping these entrepreneurs with essential e-commerce skills. We are accelerating our efforts to ensure digital transformation remains inclusive, sustainable, and delivers real, lasting prosperity for communities across the region.” he emphasized.
“The ASEAN SOAR Together program exemplified effective collaboration in advancing ASEAN’s digital economy. Through the partnership between TikTok Shop, the ASEAN Foundation, and ASEAN-BAC, we witnessed MSMEs strengthening their digital capabilities and competitiveness across the region. The outcomes showcased during the recent ABIS 2025, highlighted how targeted initiatives can drive inclusive growth and empower entrepreneurs, especially women and youth, to contribute to ASEAN’s sustainable economic development,” said Tan Sri Nazir Razak, Chairman, ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Malaysia.
The ASEAN SOAR Together Program remains a cornerstone of TikTok Shop’s regional efforts to empower MSMEs and strengthen Southeast Asia’s digital economy. Building on these regional successes, TikTok Shop continues to champion local entrepreneurs by expanding access to training and social commerce opportunities nationwide.
 across Southeast Asia by working closely with ASEAN governments, ministries, and agencies to accelerate their digital transformation journey. As MSMEs form the backbone of ASEAN’s economy, contributing to employment, innovation, and growth, TikTok Shop will continue to innovate efforts to help enterprises unlock their full potential through digital commerce and visibility.){kind=link}