TMTPOST -- The battle for streaming dominance in Southeast Asia is intensifying as global and regional players compete for a rapidly expanding market. According to Statista projections, the region’s streaming market is expected to reach $680 million by 2030, up 49% from 2024, attracting the attention of media giants from the U.S. and China alike. While Netflix has historically dominated, Chinese platforms are now gaining significant ground, reshaping the competitive landscape.

Chinese long-form video platforms such as iQIYI, Tencent’s WeTV, and Youku have quietly established strong footholds in markets like Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Data from French analytics firm Dataxis shows that American platforms still hold a near 60% market share in Singapore in Q1 2025. However, in Thailand, Chinese platforms have surged to 40% market share, overtaking the 30% share held by U.S. competitors.

The competition goes far beyond content distribution. It is now a battle over localization, pricing strategies, user engagement, and cultural resonance—a multidimensional contest that reflects both the economic potential and strategic importance of Southeast Asia.

The Big Three: Chinese Platforms’ Strategic Playbooks

Chinese platforms are pursuing differentiated strategies to capture Southeast Asian audiences, each leveraging a unique approach to content, branding, and market penetration.

iQIYI, for example, has taken a “go big or go home” approach, investing heavily in local content production with large budgets and diverse genres. According to Nikkei Asia, iQIYI plans to produce four to six original Thai dramas annually, with each series costing up to $1.54 million. Genres focus heavily on romance and youth-centered narratives, aligning with the tastes of local viewers.

iQIYI also employs a flexible business model, combining ad-supported free streaming with low-cost subscription options. This approach caters to price-sensitive audiences in emerging Southeast Asian markets, where affordability remains a key determinant of adoption. High-profile marketing campaigns, such as the 2024 “Yue Enjoyment Gala” in Bangkok featuring global ambassador Bai Lu and Thai actress Baifern, have driven social media buzz and strengthened brand recognition.

Tencent’s WeTV has taken a contrasting approach, emphasizing idol cultivation. Since 2024, the platform has aired talent discovery programs in Thailand, creating local celebrities and generating fan engagement that goes beyond simple content consumption. In April 2025, WeTV debuted the seven-member boy group NexT1DE, quickly gaining widespread popularity. By participating in the star-making process, WeTV has fostered deeper emotional connections with its audience—a competitive advantage that pure content export cannot replicate.

Youku, meanwhile, focuses on exporting proven show formats. Its flagship variety show, “Street Dance of China”, was localized for Vietnam, creating a street dance craze among local youth. By adapting successful domestic content for regional markets, Youku minimizes trial-and-error risk while maximizing cultural resonance.

Despite differing strategies, all three platforms leverage cultural and geographic proximity to Southeast Asia, strategically avoiding direct confrontation with Netflix’s global blockbuster model and targeting market niches and regional demand.

Strengths and Weaknesses in the Regional Battle

Price is a major advantage for Chinese platforms. Subscription fees for iQIYI and WeTV typically range from $2 to $3 per month, compared with Netflix’s $7–$15 plans. In markets like Indonesia, where the average white-collar salary is $300–$500 per month, the cost difference is a significant barrier to adoption. Lower pricing enables Chinese platforms to attract users who might otherwise remain outside the subscription economy.

However, price alone does not guarantee long-term engagement. Chinese platforms also excel in localized content production. WeTV, for example, launched the Indonesian drama “Broken Kite,” which drove a 300% surge in daily active users and propelled the app to the top of local app stores. WeTV maintains a local team of over 40 scriptwriters, ensuring cultural nuance and high storytelling quality.

Netflix, by contrast, occasionally faces a cultural disconnect when local stories are filtered through a globalized lens. Its Chinese-language series “The Ghost Bride”, intended to showcase Malaysian folklore, ultimately leaned on a formulaic idol romance narrative, illustrating the challenge of balancing global branding with local relevance.

Another key differentiator is payment integration. Chinese platforms rapidly adopted local e-wallets and carrier billing options, while Netflix relied heavily on credit cards until recent years, creating friction for potential subscribers in markets with lower card penetration.

Nonetheless, Netflix retains a formidable advantage through brand recognition and deep financial resources. In 2024, Netflix spent $17 billion on content, outpacing all competitors, and has invested over $200 million in Thailand alone. Its global IP ecosystem allows for high-production-value hits like “Squid Game,” which remain beyond the short-term reach of regional competitors.

The competitive dynamic resembles a heavyweight boxer facing a nimble martial artist: Netflix relies on sheer scale and global influence, while Chinese platforms emphasize agility, market adaptation, and regional engagement.

The Rise of Short Dramas: A Game-Changer

The newest battleground is short-form dramas, a format that has rapidly gained popularity across Southeast Asia. Sensor Tower’s 2025 report shows a 61% quarter-on-quarter surge in short drama app downloads in Q1 2025, totaling 87 million downloads, or 30% of global demand. DataEye reports that in-app purchases from Southeast Asia contributed over 10% of global short drama revenue, up from 4% six months earlier.

Short dramas resonate due to intense emotional plots and relatable characters, often using popular Chinese tropes such as forced love, contract marriages, and adorable children. Series like “The CEO’s Wife Comes from the Countryside”have gone viral in Indonesia and the Philippines, demonstrating cross-market appeal.

From a business perspective, short dramas are low-cost, high-return productions. A single series can cost as little as $750, with production cycles cut by 60% and ROI exceeding 200%. This enables Chinese platforms to rapidly iterate and test audience preferences, a critical advantage in competitive, price-sensitive markets.

iQIYI has aggressively pursued short dramas, reporting double-digit growth in daily viewing times and unique visitorsin Q2 2025. Plans are underway for locally produced micro-dramas across Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia in H2 2025. Youku and WeTV have taken a more measured approach, focusing on strategic collaborations and interactive content to retain user engagement without overextending resources.

Netflix, meanwhile, has cautiously entered the short drama market. The company leverages global IP and production standards to maintain quality, while partnering with local creators in Thailand and the Philippines to produce content that aligns with regional tastes. Short dramas currently serve as a supplement to Netflix’s core long-form content, rather than a central growth driver.

The Southeast Asian streaming battle has evolved into a full-fledged contest of pricing, content localization, payment solutions, and fan engagement ecosystems. Chinese platforms have exploited regional nuances, offering affordable, culturally relevant content with flexible payment options, while Netflix maintains global brand power and high-production-value content.

The rise of short dramas adds a new variable that could accelerate Chinese platforms’ growth and challenge Netflix’s regional strategy. Platforms that can adapt quickly to local tastes, optimize production costs, and engage users through interactive or culturally resonant content may gain a decisive edge.

For investors and industry watchers, the takeaway is clear: Southeast Asia is no longer a secondary market. It is a battleground where global powerhouses meet agile regional players, and where innovative formats like short dramas could tip the scales.

The competition is far from over. As Chinese platforms refine localization strategies and Netflix tests short-form content in the region, the next few years will determine whether Netflix can maintain dominance or cede ground to nimble, culturally attuned competitors.

In the streaming wars of Southeast Asia, the real show is only just beginning.