The Rise of Southeast Asia as a Global Mobility Hub

The Sovereign Stack: What the Freedom Class is Buying

Today’s entrepreneurs are not focused on securing a single passport. They are building a practical framework of residencies, business entities, and tax-efficient structures — a “Sovereign Stack” designed to support long-term growth and flexibility. Their priorities are pragmatic and driven by business needs:

Priority	Percentage
Building/Scaling Borderless Businesses (Structuring, Operations)	76%
Obtaining Multiple Residencies/Second Citizenship	53%
Tax Optimization & Company Formation (Singapore, HK, Malaysia)	46%
Exploring SEA Real Estate Investment	53%

This new wave of mobility is not driven by retirees or short-term digital nomads. 53 percent of respondents identify as entrepreneurs or business owners, 23 percent as senior executives, and 19 percent as freelancers.

The majority operate in technology, marketing, finance, or export-oriented industries, with 74 percent of companies generating under US$100,000 per year – a clear indication of lean, high-margin micro-business models rather than large corporate structures.

Personal income data reinforces the pattern: over half earn under US$50,000 annually, but their purchasing power is amplified by the region’s lower cost base.

Among long-term expats (those residing for two to three years or more, accounting for 62 percent of long-stay respondents), lifestyle satisfaction and scalability of operations are cited as primary motivators to stay.

What global citizens are seeking

When asked what support they seek most, 76 percent mentioned help with building and scaling borderless businesses – company structuring, cross-border operations, and access to new markets.

Other leading priorities include:

53 percent: obtaining multiple residencies or exploring second-citizenship options;
46 percent: tax optimization and company formations in Singapore, Malaysia, or Hong Kong;
53 percent: exploring investment opportunities in Southeast Asian real estate.

The demand is hyper-specific. Malaysia is the tactical entry point, with 28 percent actively exploring long-term residency (PVIP/MM2H), while 30 percent are targeting Singapore for high-bar incorporation and residency solutions.

The Freedom Business Summit is a barometer of regional momentum

The Freedom Business Summit 2025 (October 28 – 29) brings these trends into sharper focus. More than 5,000 participants are expected to attend virtually, representing entrepreneurs and investors from across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

From Malaysia, Essam Salloum of MYPVIP will outline pathways for investors and skilled professionals through Malaysia’s Premium Visa Program and MTEP. His session underscores Malaysia’s growing role as a regional entry point for digital founders.

In Singapore, Helena Flores, COO at Osome, will dissect how small firms can incorporate and automate operations across jurisdictions. Complementing her, Luking Lu of AIMS Immigration will explore Singapore’s employment-based and investor-residency routes.

European mobility remains a parallel interest. Dr. Diogo Capela, founding partner at Lamares Capela & Associates, will present Portugal’s evolving residency landscape, positioning it as a strategic counterpart to Asia’s programs.

From the UAE, Asim Umer Wani and Olga Katrich of Intermark Global will bridge both worlds – demonstrating how families and investors can design integrated freedom portfolios spanning Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia.

On the entrepreneurial culture side, Ken Rutkowski, founder of METAL and host of Business Rockstars, will address influence and network capital as the new currencies of borderless success. And Cinzia Galleri, founder of Sardinia Narrative Lab, will introduce longevity-oriented investment and lifestyle concepts from Europe’s Blue Zones.

The Strategic Edge: ASEAN’s Competitive Future

The implications for the ASEAN region are monumental. As remote work irrevocably decouples talent from geography, Southeast Asia’s calculated blend of cost efficiency, maturing infrastructure, and high-value lifestyle transforms into a durable competitive advantage.

Governments are already adjusting their product offerings to attract this high-value demographic: Malaysia’s DE Rantau, Thailand’s Long-Term Resident Visa, and Indonesia’s Second Home Visa are proof that regional policymakers understand they must compete on mobility to win the global talent race.

The region’s appeal extends well beyond visa options or tax incentives. What truly sets it apart is the strength of its ecosystem — a growing network of founders, investors, and enablers that drives collaboration and sustained growth.

A staggering 61% of respondents can provide strategic introductions and networks, and 35% can connect capital or investors.

Southeast Asia is no longer a cost-driven destination but an integrated growth ecosystem. Capital, talent, and operations now reinforce one another across borders, giving companies access to a regional value chain rather than isolated markets. Founders relocate not for cost savings but to embed themselves within this networked economy, where proximity to peers and capital accelerates scale. The region’s advantage now lies in structural connectivity, not cheap labor.

Accessing the Borderless ASEAN Economy

Freedom Business Summit founder Denys Dovgal summarizes the emerging ethos:

“The next decade of mobility won’t be about escape – it’ll be about strategic positioning. The entrepreneurs building across multiple jurisdictions today are designing the first truly borderless ASEAN economy.”

Southeast Asia’s open-door policies, entrepreneurial demographics, and digital infrastructure are converging to make the region the world’s laboratory for the freedom economy – where sovereignty is measured not by passports, but by systems, partnerships, and the ability to operate anywhere.

Freedom Business Summit 2025: SEA Edition is where ideas meet opportunities – and where global citizens design their future.