Opportunities and challenges for decent work in the platform economy in Asia and the Pacific

This paper explores how the evolving platform economy is reshaping the economic landscape across Asia and the Pacific, and how countries in this diverse region are navigating emerging opportunities and challenges. It situates platform work within the broader context of the region's economic transformation toward service-led growth and highlights how varying levels of development, demographic profiles, and digital infrastructure influence how the platform economy is evolving, and how it affects employment in countries across the region. Through an analysis of legislative frameworks based on information publicly available as of August 2025, the paper presents examples of how countries in Asia and the Pacific are governing platform work. The findings reveal that while digital labour platforms offer income-generation opportunities, regulatory frameworks are evolving more slowly than the platforms themselves. The paper concludes that comprehensive governance frameworks that address legal and policy dimensions, highlight social and labour protections, and underscore the importance of social dialogue are essential for realizing decent work in the platform economy.