April 13, 2025
The Digital Economy Trends 2025 report explores 18 transformative trends shaping industries, societies, and governance at an unprecedented pace. These trends are grouped under three themes: smart sustainable ecosystems, empowered communities, and trust and security, providing a framework for understanding the evolving digital economy.
Based on insights from a 2025 DET survey of 300 senior technology experts, 60 policymakers, and 40 digital economy experts, the report categorizes the trends into two groups: 12 current trends, already impacting stakeholders and expected to accelerate over the next 12 to 18 months; and 6 emerging trends, with the potential to transform the next three to five years.
The Digital Economy Dynamics (DET) framework identifies the key enablers for accelerating digital economy trends, inspired by the Digital Economy Explorer (DEN). These factors include digital infrastructure, digital capabilities, regulation, finance, and innovation, supported by key technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, blockchain, and cybersecurity.
The Trends in the Digital Economy 2025 report highlights the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration to address challenges such as ethical innovation, equitable access, and public-private partnerships. Decisions made by governments, businesses, and civil society will shape business models, consumer behavior, innovation processes, and global digital trade.
Aligning these trends with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the report provides practical insights and a roadmap for fostering an inclusive, secure, and sustainable digital economy. The Digital Economy 2025 report emphasizes that capitalizing on these trends requires forward-looking strategies to drive global innovation, collaboration, and shared prosperity.
