Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 17 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Malaysia: Digital & Technology
How ready is a country to use, make and trade technology?
Malaysia is placed 41st of 198 countries on digital & technology in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: GovTech Maturity Index 0.848 (2025); Government AI Readiness Index 62.34 (2025).
Share
Digital & Technology
41st
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 0.848GovTech Maturity Index, 2025GTMI score (0–1)
- 62.34Government AI Readiness Index, 2025AI readiness score (0–100)
- 1.71Government Cyber Security Capacity, 2025Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity
- 29.08Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports, 2024Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Malaysia on digital & technology — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
0.848
GTMI score (0–1)
Higher is better
Malaysia: 0.848. Across the 196 countries in this edition, values run from 0.01 (North Korea) to 0.997 (South Korea); the world median is 0.63.
- World median
- 0.63
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 0.927 Singapore
- Land neighbours
- Brunei 0.536 · Indonesia 0.84 · Thailand 0.832
62.34
AI readiness score (0–100)
Higher is better
Ranked 38th of 195 by Oxford Insights
Malaysia: 62.34. Across the 195 countries in this edition, values run from 12.12 (Guinea-Bissau) to 88.36 (United States); the world median is 40.19.
- World median
- 40.19
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 76.42 Singapore
- Land neighbours
- Brunei 40.51 · Indonesia 59.87 · Thailand 63.22
Key 3 of 4
Government Cyber Security Capacity
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
1.71
Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity
Higher is better
Malaysia: 1.71. Across the 176 countries in this edition, values run from -2.66 (Liberia) to 3.715 (Estonia); the world median is 0.196.
- World median
- 0.196
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 2.689 Singapore
- Land neighbours
- Indonesia 1.905 · Thailand -0.021
Key 4 of 4
Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
29.08
Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports)
Higher is better
Malaysia: 29.08. Across the 170 countries in this edition, values run from 0.377 (Gambia) to 87.15 (Ireland); the world median is 25.42.
- World median
- 25.42
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 57.41 Singapore
- Land neighbours
- Brunei 4.659 · Indonesia 41.97 · Thailand 39.68
02Over time
Which way Malaysia is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Government AI Readiness Index
AI readiness score (0–100) · higher is better
MalaysiaWorld median
Malaysia fell from 63.66 in 2020 to 62.34 in 2025; the world median went from 39.58 to 40.19.
Every year’s figures
Year Malaysia World median 2025 62.3 40.2 2024 71.4 43.3 2023 68.7 41.4 2022 67.4 40.3 2021 62.5 44.1 2020 63.7 39.6 Government Cyber Security Capacity
Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity · higher is better
MalaysiaWorld median
Malaysia fell from 2.608 in 2000 to 1.71 in 2025; the world median went from -0.514 to 0.196.
Every year’s figures
Year Malaysia World median 2025 1.7 0.20 2024 1.7 0.11 2023 1.7 0.14 2022 1.7 0.16 2021 2.1 0.12 2020 2.7 0.12 2019 2.7 0.10 2018 2.7 -0.05 2017 2.7 -0.08 2016 2.7 -0.10 2015 2.7 -0.17 2014 2.7 -0.21 2013 2.7 -0.21 2012 2.7 -0.25 2011 2.7 -0.32 2010 2.7 -0.31 2009 2.7 -0.50 2008 2.7 -0.51 2007 2.7 -0.51 2006 2.7 -0.55 2005 2.7 -0.55 2004 2.6 -0.55 2003 2.6 -0.55 2002 2.6 -0.51 2001 2.6 -0.51 2000 2.6 -0.51 Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports
Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports) · higher is better
MalaysiaWorld median
Malaysia rose from 20.61 in 2010 to 29.08 in 2024; the world median went from 19.88 to 25.42.
Every year’s figures
Year Malaysia World median 2024 29.08 25.42 2023 32.38 26.03 2022 39.96 26.04 2021 53.15 29.80 2020 51.36 29.47 2019 27.46 18.36 2018 26.99 20.09 2017 27.38 18.32 2016 26.04 18.15 2015 25.00 19.57 2014 23.15 21.00 2013 26.01 20.50 2012 25.99 19.56 2011 24.15 19.21 2010 20.61 19.88
03In context
Malaysia beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 198 countries on digital & technology, never a place within the region.
Malaysia and the countries it borders
Standing among all 198; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | GovTech Maturity IndexGTMI score (0–1) | Government AI Readiness IndexAI readiness score (0–100) | Government Cyber Security CapacityOriginal latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity | Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsDigitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Indonesiacompare | 33rd | 0.84 | 59.87 | 1.905 | 41.97 |
| Malaysia | 41st | 0.848 | 62.34 | 1.71 | 29.08 |
 Thailand | 55th | 0.832 | 63.22 | -0.021 | 39.68 |
 Brunei | =133rd | 0.536 | 40.51 | — | 4.659 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across South-eastern Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 198.
Placed either side on digital & technology
The countries immediately above and below Malaysia in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Malaysia is ahead of the world, and behind
21 more statistics filed under digital & technology, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median14
Statistics on which Malaysia does better than the middle country measured.
ICT Goods ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 0.97535.210.975No real change since 2014
Malaysia: 35.21 · world median 0.975 · ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 61.45; higher is better.
Position 3rd of 119 · derived.
Made or Received a Digital PaymentWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 51.6577.4751.65▲ Improved since 2014
Malaysia: 77.47 · world median 51.65 · Adults who made or received a digital payment in the past year (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 12.26 to 94.91; higher is better.
Position 12th of 98 · derived.
Smartphone OwnershipWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 78.7889.4378.78No earlier reading
Malaysia: 89.43 · world median 78.78 · Adults whose main mobile phone is a smartphone (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 8.663 to 97.36; higher is better.
Position 23rd of 140 · derived.
Primary Schools with Internet for TeachingUIS · 2024 · world median 98.6610098.66No real change since 2016
Malaysia: 100 · world median 98.66 · Primary schools with internet access for teaching (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness IndexOECD · 2025 · world median 0.2060.0870.206No real change since 2015
Malaysia: 0.087 · world median 0.206 · Digital STRI (0 = open, 1 = closed). OECD, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.021 to 0.649; lower is better.
Position 99th of 125 · derived, 1st = worst.
Firms Experiencing Internet DisruptionsWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 32.3520.2932.35No earlier reading
Malaysia: 20.29 · world median 32.35 · Firms that experienced internet outages or slow-downs (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0.735 to 82.39; lower is better.
Position 124th of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
Frontier Technology Readiness IndexUNCTAD · 2023 · world median 0.4850.7190.485No real change since 2013
Malaysia: 0.719 · world median 0.485 · Frontier Technology Readiness Index (0–1). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1; higher is better.
Position 43rd of 170 · derived.
Mobile Phone OwnershipWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 91.6894.6891.68No earlier reading
Malaysia: 94.68 · world median 91.68 · Adults who own a mobile phone (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 45.83 to 100; higher is better.
Position 46th of 140 · derived.
Share of Firms' Payments Made ElectronicallyWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 64.2278.6564.22No earlier reading
Malaysia: 78.65 · world median 64.22 · Payments made electronically in a typical month, excluding payroll and payments to government (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 2.172 to 99.91; higher is better.
Government Dissemination of False Information (Domestic)V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median -0.1140.684-0.114▲ Improved since 2015
Malaysia: 0.684 · world median -0.114 · Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.2); higher = less disinformation. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.392 to 2.93; higher is better.
Position 60th of 176 · derived.
AI User Share of the Working-Age PopulationMicrosoft AI Economy Institute · 2026 · world median 15.4522.615.45▼ Worsened since 2025
Malaysia: 22.6 · world median 15.45 · Generative-AI users (% of population aged 15–64). Microsoft AI Economy Institute, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 6.1 to 73.3; higher is better.
Internet Use Among AdultsWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 83.0586.8983.05No earlier reading
Malaysia: 86.89 · world median 83.05 · Adults who used the internet in the past three months (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 11.06 to 99.12; higher is better.
Position 55th of 140 · derived.
ICT Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 7.4747.5197.474▲ Improved since 2014
Malaysia: 7.519 · world median 7.474 · ICT services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 56.25; higher is better.
Position 57th of 118 · derived.
Government Internet ShutdownsV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 1.0231.0381.023▲ Improved since 2015
Malaysia: 1.038 · world median 1.023 · Original latent estimate (≈ −4 to +2); higher = fewer shutdowns. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.547 to 2.081; higher is better.
Position 87th of 176 · derived.
Behind the world median2
Statistics on which Malaysia does worse than the middle country measured.
Government Social Media CensorshipV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.5050.1790.505▲ Improved since 2015
Malaysia: 0.179 · world median 0.505 · Original latent estimate (≈ −4.5 to +2.4); higher = less censorship. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.721 to 2.295; higher is better.
Position 97th of 176 · derived.
Firms with Their Own WebsiteWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 62.3959.3162.39No earlier reading
Malaysia: 59.31 · world median 62.39 · Firms with their own website (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 1.824 to 97.88; higher is better.
Position 102nd of 181 · derived.
No better end5
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
GitHub DevelopersGitHub · 2026 · world median 84,6701,139,03384,670No real change since 2020
Malaysia: 1,139,033 · world median 84,670 · Developer accounts located in the economy (as of quarter end). GitHub, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 110 to 32,410,529.
GitHub RepositoriesGitHub · 2026 · world median 141,4541,599,930141,454No real change since 2020
Malaysia: 1,599,930 · world median 141,454 · Public repositories located in the economy (as of quarter end). GitHub, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 142 to 77,284,974.
Share of Graduates from ICT ProgrammesUIS · 2023 · world median 5.6017.5315.601Moved since 2015
Malaysia: 7.531 · world median 5.601 · Tertiary graduates from ICT programmes (% of all graduates). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 17.19.
GitHub Git PushesGitHub · 2025 · world median 148,7141,053,435148,714Moved since 2020
Malaysia: 1,053,435 · world median 148,714 · Git pushes during the quarter. GitHub, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1,967 to 40,768,192.
Anthropic AI Usage IndexAnthropic · 2026 · world median 0.960.870.96No earlier reading
Malaysia: 0.87 · world median 0.96 · Claude usage index (1 = in proportion to working-age population). Anthropic, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0.07 to 6.4.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Digital & Technology among Malaysia’s 15 topics
Digital & Technology is Malaysia’s 3rd best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Mobility & Trade6th of 1774/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions40th of 1944/4 keys
- Digital & Technology41st of 1984/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation40th of 1764/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality41st of 1593/3 keys
- Work & Labour63rd of 1824/4 keys
- Peace & Security62nd of 1774/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital91st of 1963/3 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 86th of 1844/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties95th of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience95th of 1934/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing99th of 2004/4 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 131st of 1984/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 131st of 1834/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 158th of 1864/4 keys
No standing on Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on digital & technology
The three countries placed highest of 198, and the leaders Malaysia can most readily be measured against.
=1
EstoniaNorthern Europe
Joint 1st of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Andrus Uuetalu derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0 ee, greyscale
=1
South KoreaEastern Asia
Joint 1st of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
3
SingaporeSouth-eastern Asia
3rd of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
South Korea=1st4/4 keysHighest in South-eastern Asia
Singapore3rd4/4 keysThis page
Malaysia41st4/4 keys
Positions out of 198 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Malaysia on digital & technology: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Malaysia rank on digital & technology?
Malaysia is placed 41st of 198 countries on Digital & Technology in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (GovTech Maturity Index, Government AI Readiness Index, Government Cyber Security Capacity and Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest GovTech Maturity Index figure for Malaysia?
0.848 in 2025 (gTMI score (0–1)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.63.
What is the latest Government AI Readiness Index figure for Malaysia?
62.34 in 2025 (aI readiness score (0–100)), according to Oxford Insights. The world median in the same edition was 40.19.
How does Malaysia compare with Indonesia on digital & technology?
Indonesia is placed 33rd of 198, and Malaysia 41st. GovTech Maturity Index: Indonesia 0.84, Malaysia 0.848; Government AI Readiness Index: Indonesia 59.87, Malaysia 62.34; Government Cyber Security Capacity: Indonesia 1.905, Malaysia 1.71; Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports: Indonesia 41.97, Malaysia 29.08.
How have Malaysia’s digital & technology figures changed?
Government AI Readiness Index fell from 63.66 in 2020 to 62.34 in 2025; Government Cyber Security Capacity fell from 2.608 in 2000 to 1.71 in 2025; Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports rose from 20.61 in 2010 to 29.08 in 2024.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Broadband and mobile subscriptions, connection speeds and the cost of getting online are absent, for the licence reason above; internet use and phone ownership, from the World Bank’s own household survey, and firms’ websites and internet disruptions, from its Enterprise Surveys, are published here as context. The ICT share of goods exports votes under Mobility & Trade. Digital public services and data-protection law are not held yet. Research and development spending is filed under Education & Knowledge, and what an economy knows how to make is under Economy & Innovation.
How the Digital & Technology standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The digital & technology method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- GovTech Maturity Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Government AI Readiness Index — Oxford Insights, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Government Cyber Security Capacity — V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
The other 21 statistics on this page come from 8 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Malaysia’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Malaysia (banner) — Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Estonia — Andrus Uuetalu derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0 ee
- South Korea — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Singapore — Khairul Nizam ., CC BY 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Malaysia: Digital & Technology — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/malaysia/digital