Antitrust in APAC

APAC's competition and foreign investment regimes are advancing at speed. Regulators across the region are refining their mandates, expanding jurisdictional reach, and coordinating or aligning more closely with global peers. Emerging authorities are flexing new powers, while mature regimes are sharpening their focus on national security, economic security, digital markets, and innovation.

Our refreshed Antitrust in APAC hub offers a concise view of this shifting landscape – spotlighting developments in competition law and foreign investment screening. Each jurisdictional snapshot places local reforms in the wider global context and links to a high-level comparison table of key regimes.

Competition law enforcement intensifies

Across APAC, authorities are modernizing frameworks and ramping up investigations. Australia has just introduced a mandatory merger regime with broad thresholds. China has updated its antitrust law with higher fines for failing to file reportable deals, and with higher jurisdictional thresholds, there is increased appetite to call in below-threshold deals. Merger reviews in Japan are getting longer, scrutiny is intensifying in India and South Korea, and Vietnam is increasingly flexing its muscles as the number of filings increases year-on-year. Singapore is proactively exercising oversight over mergers while promoting sustainability collaborations, whereas India, South Korea and Taiwan have adopted transaction-value thresholds to capture more deals. Indonesia is actively   considering a pre-merger regime and the introduction of a leniency program, with legislative amendments expected in 2026. Dawn raids are becoming more common from Hong Kong to Japan. Enforcement is increasingly aimed at conduct that hits consumers hardest – particularly in digital and pharmaceutical markets.

Foreign investment: risk recalibrated

Foreign investment regimes are shifting from blanket restrictions to nuanced, risk-based reviews. Several jurisdictions are opening previously closed sectors, while others are tightening scrutiny of deals involving critical infrastructure, sensitive data, or supply chain security. National security and industrial and economic policy remain dominant drivers.

Technology and life sciences in the spotlight

Digital platforms, AI and semiconductors are top of mind for enforcers who view them as both competition risks and tools for enforcement. New or draft rules targeting online ecosystems, app stores and algorithmic behavior are reshaping compliance expectations. In parallel, enforcers are scrutinizing consolidation and collaboration in life sciences – especially practices that may stifle generics or innovation pipelines.

Explore the data

Our comparison table distills the key procedural rules and enforcement features of competition and merger control frameworks across major Asia-Pacific jurisdictions.

For further insights or to discuss how these developments could affect your business, contact the Freshfields Antitrust, Competition and Trade team, including colleagues at Freshfields RuiMin, our Joint Operation in China.