Global Opportunity Index 2026: Growth Markets in Southeast Asia

As firms diversify supply chains amid intensifying geopolitical competition, Southeast Asia's developing economies are drawing renewed attention from global investors. The Milken Institute's Global Opportunity Index 2026 report examines six high-growth markets at the center of this shift: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. With 2024 real GDP growth ranging from 4.3 to 7.1 percent, these countries rank among the fastest-growing economies in the developing world.  

The report assesses each country's investment environment across five categories—Business Perception, Economic Fundamentals, Financial Services, Institutional Framework, and International Standards and Policy—and offers an in-depth look at the composition and evolution of capital inflows and cross-border mergers and acquisitions activity. The Global Opportunity Index last examined emerging Southeast Asia in 2022; this report revisits the region to identify which markets are best positioned to translate their growth momentum into a sustainable investment environment.