Energy and momentum. That’s how I’d describe our first-ever Asia Pacific (APAC) Antipiracy Summit earlier this month in Singapore. It was an inspiring gathering of dedicated content protection professionals from across the region, all united by a common goal: to outpace digital piracy and safeguard the creative economy. I want to extend my sincere thanks to our member companies who participated in the summit and contributed to the rich exchange of ideas. A special welcome goes to our new APAC members who have joined in the past year – NAVER WEBTOON, MHL and most recently, Astro. Their decision to join ACE reflects the growing influence and reach of our work in APAC.
ACE’s mission to detect, deter, and dismantle piracy networks relies on this very spirit of collaboration. Our power comes from our partnerships: with law enforcement, with governments, and especially with each other. The summit showcased how far we’ve come and how much more we can achieve when we combine our insights and strengths.
I’m deeply grateful to the ACE APAC team for organizing such a focused and forward-looking gathering. Their work on the ground in this region is essential to ACE’s global success, and it was energizing to see so much momentum behind our shared mission.
I’d like to spend a moment outlining some of the top-line trends we’re tracking across the region, and how we’re aligning with governments and industry to push back against digital piracy’s rapid evolution.
Digital piracy in the APAC region presents a significant and evolving threat with far reaching implications for content creators, governments, and the broader digital economy. APAC accounts for one of the highest volumes of digital piracy globally, driven by a combination of high internet penetration and mobile-first markets.
The scale of the problem is vast, with millions of consumers in APAC accessing pirated films, TV shows, and live sports, resulting in substantial revenue losses for rights holders.
Additionally, some of the biggest piracy sites in the world are based in APAC, which means the actions we take here have a direct and far-reaching impact on the global piracy landscape. Continued threats include increasingly sophisticated piracy networks that leverage encrypted messaging apps, illegal streaming devices, and offshore hosting to distribute content undetected.
Digital piracy is often linked to broader cyber threats, including malware distribution and data breaches, posing risks to both users and platforms, as starkly demonstrated by the new report previewed by Dr Watters at the summit. Indeed, just last month it was reported that Fmovies–shut down by the Hanoi Police with support from ACE and US authorities–was strongly linked to global infostealer malware activity.
In response, ACE is leveraging strategic partnerships with governments, intermediaries, and other stakeholders to address piracy through legal reforms, enforcement actions, and public awareness campaigns. ACE employs various technologies and enforcement strategies to address cross-border piracy infrastructure in the fight against copyright infringement.
Strategic, invitation-only working sessions like our APAC summit are a key part of how ACE supports rights holders in staying ahead of the threat. By coming together to align on intelligence, enforcement priorities, and new challenges, we continue to sharpen our collective impact—underscoring that collaboration is ACE’s most powerful tool in protecting the creative economy.
To learn more about becoming an ACE member, click here.
