APAC finance app installs decline 17% as firms pivot to customer retention

Remarketing investment nearly tripled in Southeast Asia.

Finance app installs in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region declined 17% year-on-year (YoY) in 2025 whilst user acquisition (UA) dropped 27%.

This reflects tighter capital discipline and more selective acquisition strategies, according to a 2026 report by AppsFlyer, which analysed over 5.31 billion installs across APAC and $5.7b in user acquisition spend across Android and iOS.

APAC finance app growth has entered a mature phase, the study found. Mature markets such as Thailand saw installs decline by 40%, whilst emerging markets like Pakistan saw installs grow 61%.

In Southeast Asia, remarketing investment surged 193%, signaling a stronger focus on retention and engagement as acquisition costs rise, AppsFlyer noted.

Thailand (339%), the Philippines (241%), and Vietnam (161%) led spending in this regard.

“Financial services growth in APAC is evolving,” said Ronen Mense, president and managing director, APAC at AppsFlyer. “Acquisition alone is no longer the differentiator. Institutions that will lead are those building strong measurement infrastructure and using trusted data to drive smarter decisions.”

Indonesia accounted for 39% of in-app revenue across APAC for Android finance apps.

Meanwhile, 47% of Southeast Asia UA spend came from China-based apps, underscoring cross-border competition and regional investment dynamics, AppsFlyer found.