PROCUREMENT FRAUD AND BRIBERY EMERGE AS APAC’S TOP RISKS AS AI-DRIVEN DECEPTION ACCELERATES

Regional analysis shows Asia-Pacific facing a complex blend of digital payment vulnerabilities, super-app fraud risks and cultural barriers to reporting.

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Rising AI-enabled deception, ESG misrepresentation and crypto-related schemes signal the need for governance models tailored to the region’s behavioural and technological realities.

According to ACCA’s new report, ‘Combatting fraud in a perfect storm’, organisations across Asia-Pacific are contending with a diverse and fast-evolving fraud landscape, shaped by procurement fraud (34 percent), bribery and corruption (20 percent), and growing blind spots in crypto fraud and ESG misrepresentation. Rapid innovation in digital payments and super-app platforms has expanded attack surfaces, with AI-enabled deception accelerating the speed and sophistication of fraud across the region.

Cultural dynamics remain a defining factor. In many Asia-Pacific markets, openly discussing fraud is still perceived as disloyalty, and hierarchical norms discourage whistleblowing. Independence of investigators and clear protections against retaliation are therefore critical, particularly for junior staff, who reported the highest levels of concern.