蘑菇AV

This report analyzes how digital adoption and evolving consumer habits are reshaping South Korea鈥檚 retail, media, and payments landscape.

The news: Zip鈥檚 total transaction volume (TTV) spiked 30.3% YoY in fiscal 2025 (ended June 30, 2025), driven by momentum in its US business. Cash before taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBTDA) more than doubled YoY to AUD 170.3 million ($109.38 million), a 147% increase. Total transaction value hit AUD 13.1 billion ($8.42 billion). Transaction volume was up 22.1% YoY to 93 million. Net bad debts decreased YoY to 1.5% of TTV, down from 1.7% in FY24. Our take: Zip鈥檚 year-end results reflect the spending strength of US consumers. We forecast US total retail sales to hit $7.513.38 trillion for 2025. By comparison, Zip鈥檚 native Australia is only anticipated to crack $356.49 billion in total retail sales this year.

Ten years after its establishment, Amazon Business is expanding its seller network and product selection to serve an 8 million global organization customer base, which has grown 33% from 6 million in 2023. Many of the capabilities that individual shoppers enjoy on Amazon鈥檚 B2C platform鈥攂road selection, cost savings, and advanced technology鈥攁re being applied to its B2B marketplace to help organizations work smarter and more efficiently. As Amazon Business continues to innovate, it is poised to compete for more sales from companies seeking to save time and resources.

The advertising industry鈥檚 age and experience mix is shifting fast. In the US, entry-level roles are shrinking as automation replaces routine tasks, while in Australia, 鈥渏uniorisation鈥� favors younger, digitally fluent hires over seasoned veterans. Agencies face a balancing act鈥攂ringing in Gen Z talent to master AI-driven tools and authentically shape campaigns, while retaining senior expertise crucial for strategy, oversight, and client trust. Without a robust entry-level pipeline today, the industry risks a future shortage of homegrown leaders just as marketing grows more complex.

The news: Klarna and Afterpay will not share the majority of their consumers鈥� loan information with credit bureaus until they can receive confirmation that their customers will not be penalized for seeking buy now, pay later (BNPL) plans. Our take: Affirm鈥檚 early plunge into credit reporting has been blunted against its competitors鈥� refusal to participate in the system, but it still takes the reputational lead in terms of being a 鈥渢rustworthy鈥� provider.

The insights: Electric vehicle owners are ideal targets for out-of-home (OOH) advertising and foot traffic. Chargers bring in foot traffic to surrounding areas. Half (50%) of EV drivers go grocery shopping while waiting for their vehicles to charge, per a JOLT Audience Insights survey in Australia. Our take: Here鈥檚 how retailers, brands, and advertisers can get ahead in this space: Install charging stations outside brick-and-mortar locations to capitalize on both foot traffic and OOH ads. Add QR codes to EV charger advertising that provide discounts to nearby or online businesses. Offer store credits or gift cards that cover the cost of charging fees to boost loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals.

The news: Roblox rolled out new teen-focused safety tools, including age estimation, stricter communication filters, and parent insights. The shift to ramp up age-specific protections follows growing pressure from regulators and parents over child safety risks on the platform, per Fast Company. Our take: Using Roblox鈥檚 new rules as a blueprint, marketers looking to cater to younger audiences should build campaigns that align with verified connections, invest in brand-safe messaging, and prepare for an age-gated future across platforms as this becomes the norm. Adapting early ensures compliance and preserves access to a key Gen Z and Gen Alpha audience.

The news: Governments across the UK, EU, and Australia are mandating age verification online and reshaping how platforms handle user identity and access to content. Reddit now requires UK users to prove they鈥檙e 18 via selfie or photo ID to access adult or harmful content, in compliance with the Online Safety Act. Our take: Age assurance is becoming the new standard. Advertisers need to move now by adjusting targeting strategies, creative assets, and compliance practices to stay effective in an increasingly verified and government regulated web.

Despite high penetration of social networks among internet users in Asia-Pacific, population-wide adoption lags. As such, we expect 209.6 million new social media users in the region between 2025 and 2029.