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The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer for Asia Pacific has been released, marking the 26th edition of the study. This year examines trust in the context of growing insularity across the APAC region.
Overall, the findings point to a more inward-looking trust environment in APAC. Around two-thirds of respondents say they are hesitant or unwilling to trust people who differ from them in values, beliefs, or background. This shift is accompanied by a widening income-based trust gap, which has increased from seven points in 2012 to 16 points in 2026.
Among those with a more insular mindset, trust in institutions led by people perceived as different is 28 to 31 points lower than among those who are more open.
The report attributes this trend to several factors. These include a stronger preference for domestic companies, reduced engagement with sources holding different political views, a widening divide between income groups, and declining optimism about future prospects. In several APAC markets, confidence that the next generation will be better off has fallen by double digits year-on-year.
This shift is also reflected in broader trust dynamics. Trust is increasingly moving away from institutions towards individuals, with higher levels of trust in personal networks such as family, friends, coworkers, and CEOs, while trust in government leaders, media, and foreign business leaders has declined.
For organisations, this evolving landscape is beginning to affect operations. Employees are less willing to support leaders with different values, and divisions in the workplace are impacting collaboration and productivity. At the same time, there is growing support for limiting foreign companies, even if it leads to higher costs.
In this context, employers are seen as having a key role in addressing trust divides. They have the smallest gap between expectations and performance when it comes to building trust across groups. The report also finds that when institutions are seen to be effective in bridging trust, levels of trust among lower-income groups can rise significantly, narrowing the gap with higher-income groups.
Key regional findings
- The income-based trust gap in APAC widened to 16 points in 2026, with trust at 70 per cent among high-income respondents compared to 54 per cent among low-income groups.
- Optimism varies across the region, with 31 per cent in Singapore and 36 per cent in Thailand believing the next generation will be better off, alongside notable declines in Singapore, Thailand, India, and China. Concern about foreign actors spreading falsehoods has increased by double digits in six of nine APAC markets since 2021.
- Trust in domestic companies is higher than in foreign-headquartered companies across all markets surveyed, with the largest gaps in Japan (29 points), Singapore, and South Korea (28 points each).
- Globally, trust has shifted towards individuals, with increases in trust for personal networks and declines for government leaders, media, and foreign business leaders.
- Institutions continue to fall short in trust-building efforts, with government and media both recording 37-point gaps between expectations and performance, while 54 per cent of employees say their employer is effective at bridging divides.
Read the full report here.
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