Infobip’s 20-year Analysis of 3.8 Trillion Messages Reveals Rise of Omnichannel, RCS and AI-driven Communication in Malaysia

AI-first cloud communication platform Infobip has released its Messaging Trends Report 2026, offering a comprehensive analysis of the current state of business communication. Drawing on data from 628 billion mobile interactions in 2025 and a historical review of 3.8 trillion messages over the past 20 years, the report charts the evolution from single-channel messaging to complex, AI-powered omnichannel experiences.

The data reveals a shift in how brands engage with customers. While SMS remains a critical pillar for reliability, accounting for 62% of traffic globally, the growth of rich, conversational channels is accelerating. In the APAC region, the growth is particularly pronounced, with RCS traffic increasing by over five times in the last year alone. Meanwhile, WhatsApp continues to dominate the conversational landscape, facilitating 91% of all conversational AI interactions on the platform.

Malaysia Market Spotlight

In Malaysia, the shift toward conversational commerce is outpacing many global benchmarks. Key data for the Malaysian market in 2025 shows:

• +17% increase in total interactions on the Infobip platform.
• +240% surge in mobile messaging app interactions.
• +40% growth in WhatsApp interactions and a +107% increase in Viber interactions.
• +38% increase in Voice & Video, reflecting a demand for more personal, high-fidelity communication.
• +20% increase in email interactions, proving the continued relevance of a multi-channel mix.

Ruslana Reznikova, VP GM APAC Eurasia at Infobip, commented: “The 240% increase in mobile messaging interactions within Malaysia highlights a clear trend: consumers here want to engage with brands on the same platforms they use to talk to friends and family. As we move into the era of Agentic AI, the goal for businesses across APAC is to transition from simple notifications to meaningful, two-way conversations that drive loyalty and measurable business outcomes.”

Key Findings:

• Agentic AI is enabling the next major steps in business messaging. Moving beyond simple chatbots, AI agents are now capable of autonomous, goal-driven interactions, orchestrating complex customer journeys across channels.
• Single-channel communication is now obsolete for global brands. Ten years ago, 73% of platform traffic was single-channel. By 2025, that figure has dropped to just 2.3%, as 98% of interactions now span multiple channels.
• RCS is now mainstream in many regions. Beyond the five-fold growth in APAC, North America saw a 70x increase and Latin America saw a 7x increase.

Ante Pamuković, Chief Revenue Officer at Infobip, commented: “Our 20-year anniversary data set gives us a unique vantage point to see not just where we are, but where we are going. The story is clear, the era of the simple notification is over. We are shifting towards a diverse ecosystem where brands orchestrate conversations across WhatsApp, RCS, Email and Voice. The future is omnichannel, conversational, and increasingly powered by Agentic AI. In this new world, Infobip provides the infrastructure enabling businesses to meet their customers on the right channel, at the right time, with the right message.”

As Infobip marks 20 years of innovation, the launch of the Messaging Trends Report 2026 sets the stage for the company’s next evolution, enabling autonomous, AI-driven customer experiences through its new AgentOS platform.For more insights, see the Messaging Trends Report 2026 here: https://www.infobip.com/messaging-trends-report