Doha, Qatar – November 4, 2025: The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), the international body dedicated to advancing inclusive and sustainable digital economies, today launched the Digital Economy Navigator 2025 (DEN 2025) at the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2) in Doha, Qatar. 

The DEN 2025, the second edition of the navigator tool, offers the most comprehensive overview to date of global digital-economy maturity, covering 80 countries representing 94% of global GDP and 85% of the world’s population. Drawing on 145 indicators and a survey of more than 41,000 people, it provides evidence-based insight into how nations are developing digital infrastructure, driving innovation, growing business capacity, enhancing governance, and promoting inclusion. 

DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya said the DEN 2025 illustrates both the progress already made and the opportunities ahead. Commenting on DEN 2025, she said: 

The Digital Cooperation Organization envisions a future where every nation can participate meaningfully in the digital economy, not only as consumers of digital services, but as creators and innovators.

She added that collective effort will be essential to turn this potential into reality. 

DEN 2025 is a reminder that our collective progress depends on decisive action. We must move from measuring digital transformation to accelerating it, with governments adopting agile and forward-looking policies, businesses investing with purpose and responsibility, and societies embracing innovation as a force for inclusion. The cost of inaction is exclusion, but the rewards of collaboration are limitless. If we work together across borders, sectors, and communities we can shape an inclusive, trusted, and sustainable digital future where every nation has the opportunity not only to participate, but to lead.

Findings show that digitalization is creating opportunities for growth across all income levels. Internet access now reaches more than four in five people in the countries covered. Countries at all income levels have made progress, and lower-middle-income countries have achieved the greatest number of net improvements – demonstrating that progress is achievable with the right policies and investment. The report estimates that connecting underserved communities could enable over 1.3 billion more people to access digital banking and online services, unlocking significant social and economic potential. 

Digital transformation has facilitated cross-border trade, with online service portals being fully implemented in 66 of the 80 countries covered by the DEN, and implementation underway in another ten countries. However, additional efforts are needed to ease restrictions on the trade in ICT goods to enable affordable access to digital devices. 

Artificial intelligence AI is progressing rapidly but unevenly, with advanced economies consolidating their lead, while regions such as South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa show strong potential for rapid advancement. 

Meanwhile, gender participation continues to improve, with global gender equality in digital participation averaging 70.8%. Still, more investment in digital skills and education, particularly for women, could help close remaining gaps and ensure equitable access to future jobs, as currently only 3.1% of female graduates enter ICT fields. 

The new “Digital for Sustainability” pillar highlights how emerging economies have opportunities to outpace higher-income peers, for example by leapfrogging resource-heavy legacy systems and adopting renewable technologies directly. While the North America region is advanced; South Asia, Europe and Central Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean are all at the following transitioning level – showing potential for future progress and catch-up in this area. 

Chief of Digital Economy Intelligence at the DCO, Alaa Abdulaal, commented on the launch of DEN 2025, saying: 

The DEN 2025 represents a major advancement from the first edition, which was released in 2024 (DEN 2024). As the digital economy continues to evolve rapidly so too must the tools used to measure and understand its multifaceted impacts, in a way that can guide policymakers, businesses, and international organizations. Tools like the DEN are only as strong as the data that feeds them, and we hope to continue working with like-minded governments and partners to enhance future editions of the navigator.

The DEN’s evolution reflects the DCO’s ongoing commitment to methodological rigor and adaptability. The approach taken in the DEN 2025 was validated by an expert panel that includes leading experts from prominent universities, international organizations, and other institutions, ensuring the DEN framework captures emerging trends while remaining grounded in established measurement principles. 

The DCO encourages policymakers, the private sector, international organizations, and the global research community to use the DEN 2025 as a resource for evidence-based decision-making and collaboration. By sharing data, building digital skills, and strengthening trust in online systems, countries can ensure that the benefits of digital transformation are broadly shared. 

LINK TO REPORT: https://den.dco.org. 

About the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) 

The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) is the world’s first standalone international intergovernmental organization dedicated to accelerating the growth of an inclusive and sustainable digital economy. Founded in 2020, the DCO brings together the Ministries of Communications and Information Technology of its 16 Member States, representing nearly 3.5 trillion in GDP and a combined market of over 800 million people, more than 70% of whom are under the age of 35. 

The DCO works with governments, the private sector, civil society, and international organizations to promote digital inclusion, enable cross-border data flows, empower women and youth, and support entrepreneurs and SMEs. It facilitates coordinated digital policies across borders and holds observer status with the United Nations General Assembly and other global bodies. 

For more information, including the complete list of Member States and access to DCO’s digital tools, visit www.dco.org or follow @DCOrg on X/Twitter and LinkedIn.