This report is part of SYNC Southeast Asia, a thought leadership series in collaboration with Facebook focused on keeping in tune with the consumers of tomorrow.

Our 2019 study, Riding the Digital Wave, introduced us to the new type of Southeast Asian consumer: The digital consumer who purchases goods or services online at least once a year, and a Discovery Generation whose purchasing habits are largely driven by inspiration and openness to digital discovery. We examined their rapid rise, their spending patterns, and what their emergence means for many brands.

Come 2020, the move from an offline to an online economy has taken off much faster than anyone expected. Change that was supposed to take place over a few years happened in one. Many of the trends we forecast took place, but at an accelerated (and exhilarating!) pace, which means more digital consumers with higher online spending across a broader set of categories.

As we entered a new decade, we spoke to these digital consumers again and asked how 2020 has shaped and continues to shape them. This is their story.