Corruption Perceptions Index 2025: Global Average Score Falls to Record Low; Asia Pacific Trends Diverge

Despite uneven CPI performance across the region, domestic anti-corruption enforcement is expected to intensify, sustaining compliance and operational risks for multinational companies.

On February 10, 2026, Transparency International (TI) published its annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2025. TI observed that “[w]hile 31 countries have significantly reduced their corruption levels since 2012, the rest are failing to tackle the problem—they have stayed stagnant or worsened during the same period.”

The CPI ranks perceptions of public-sector corruption in 182 countries and territories, drawing on a variety of sources that reflect the views of experts and business leaders. Countries and territories receive scores ranging from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very “clean”).

In what appears to be a sobering assessment of global trends, TI noted a “long-term decline in leadership to tackle corruption,” with the global CPI average falling to a new low of 42 (down from 43 last year), the first such drop in more than a decade. Globally, TI highlighted several key observations across three groups of countries:

• High-Performing Countries. The number of countries scoring above 80 has dropped from 12 a decade ago to just five this year (with only 15 countries—primarily in Western Europe and the Asia Pacific (APAC) region—scoring above 75).
• Declining CPI Performance. Fifty countries have experienced declines in their CPI scores since 2012. These include countries that (1) have suffered sustained declines, in some cases exacerbated by conflict (e.g., Syria (15 down from 26 in 2012; now ranked 172nd)), and (2) higher-scoring countries that have “slipped noticeably from their initial baselines,” including the United States (64 down from 72 in 2012; now ranked 29th), France (66 down from 71 in 2012; now ranked 27th), and the United Kingdom (70 down from 74 in 2012; now ranked 20th).
• Signs of Long-Term Improvement. Several countries that began with mid-to-high CPI scores in 2012 have demonstrated long-term gains. For example, South Korea (63; now ranked 31st) has improved from its 2012 score of 56, which TI attributes to “sustained momentum with reforms, strengthened oversight institutions and broad political consensus in favor of clean governance.”

Spotlight on APAC

The average CPI score for APAC returned to 45 (after dipping to 44 last year), consistent with its multi-year average. However, persistent stagnation suggests that corruption in the region “has remained largely unaddressed over the past decade.”

By TI’s measure, APAC has some reason for optimism: eight of the 31 countries that have improved their CPI scores globally since 2012 are in the region. That said, as TI notes, there remain “stark differences within [APAC], where many countries struggle with corruption.” Across the region, and considering TI’s analysis, we observe:

• Regional Leaders. Singapore (84; ranked 3rd) continues to anchor the region, maintaining its position as the APAC leader and ranking third globally. New Zealand (81; ranked 4th) and Australia (76; ranked 12th) follow closely behind.
  
  Notably, in 2025, Singapore entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with a Singapore-based company involving corruption offenses that occurred in Brazil (the first such agreement since the mechanism was introduced in 2018).
  
  While it did not single out Singapore, TI noted broader concerns about money laundering risks, including through “financial centers in countries that top the CPI,” emphasizing that such countries “must do more to stop and ensure accountability for transnational corruption.” As a global financial hub, Singapore has continued to prioritize financial crime enforcement. In 2025, authorities increased enforcement activity targeting money laundering and terrorism financing risks, including significant actions by the Monetary Authority of Singapore against financial institutions and other entities.

• The “Improvers.” TI observed that countries such as Vietnam (41 up from 31 in 2012; now ranked 81st) and the Maldives (39 up from 36 in 2012; now ranked 91st) have shown a “consistent and statistically significant upward rise since 2012.” TI credited Vietnam in particular for “effective management of petty corruption.” Statements from Vietnam’s leadership suggest that heightened scrutiny of corruption at all levels will continue in 2026.
• Underperformers. A majority of APAC countries (21 of 31) continue to score below the global average of 42, including major markets such as Indonesia (34; ranked 109th) and India (39; ranked 91st). These scores underscore that economic opportunity in the region is often accompanied by elevated corruption risk.

Ones to Watch

China

China retains its CPI score of 43 (ranked 76th). It continues to present a multifaceted corruption risk profile for multinational companies operating in, or exposed to, the market.

Despite longstanding public-sector integrity challenges reflected in its CPI score, China has maintained an assertive domestic regulatory and enforcement posture targeting corruption across both the public and private sectors, at times with a concentrated focus on specific industries, such as healthcare.

On the legislative front, in June 2025, China passed revisions to the Anti-Unfair Competition Law (AUCL), which took effect in October 2025. The revised law strengthens the anti-corruption framework by:

1. Criminalizing both the giving and receiving of bribes by businesses and private individuals;
2. Establishing enhanced personal liability and heightened penalties for commercial bribery;
3. Expanding authorities’ investigative and enforcement powers in connection with financial crime; and
4. Introducing extraterritorial application for certain acts of “unfair competition” outside China that affect Chinese businesses, citizens, or interests.

Consistent with these legislative developments, Chinese authorities reported investigating 33,000 individuals for offering bribes in 2025, referring 4,306 cases to prosecutors, a notable increase from 26,000 investigations and 4,271 referrals in 2024. As in prior years, senior leadership reiterated its firm anti-corruption stance alongside the release of these statistics, emphasizing strengthened “political oversight.”

China’s regulatory and enforcement environment continues to present heightened compliance and operational risks. As the country recalibrates its economic and strategic priorities amid complex geopolitical dynamics—including evolving U.S.-China relations—we expect continued scrutiny of bribery and corruption across all levels. Authorities have “vowed to further deepen rectification in high-risk sectors,” including finance, state-owned enterprises, energy, pharmaceuticals, and education.

The AUCL’s new extraterritorial provisions also signal that China is looking outward in addressing financial crime and may pursue increased cross-border cooperation with other regulators in the region.

India

India’s CPI score increased by one point this year to 39, improving its ranking from 96th to 91st. India remains one of the most closely watched jurisdictions in APAC, reflecting both its economic importance and growth potential (India became the world’s fourth-largest economy in 2025). Its expanding diplomatic and economic footprint, including the recent conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, described as the “Mother of All Deals,” points to continued growth ahead.

Nevertheless, India continues to present significant bribery and corruption risks across both the public and private sectors. Its CPI performance reinforces TI’s broader assessment that anti-corruption progress across APAC has largely plateaued, notwithstanding incremental reforms and institutional developments over the past decade.

Risk exposure is compounded by (1) the significant role of state-owned enterprises in critical growth sectors such as infrastructure and energy, and (2) heavy reliance on local third parties and intermediaries, which can introduce additional compliance risk.

Although authorities have taken steps to address bribery, corruption, and other financial crimes in recent years, enforcement remains at times unpredictable and uneven, posing challenges for foreign companies operating or investing in the market.

Given the size and complexity of the world’s largest democracy, with multilayered governance structures at the Union, state, and local levels, companies should continue to strengthen internal compliance frameworks tailored to India’s unique and evolving risk landscape.

Philippines

Economic corridors across Southeast Asia continue to create opportunities for multinational companies, particularly as they diversify supply chains and operations. However, apart from Singapore (a consistent CPI top performer) and Malaysia (52; ranked 54th), which has improved since 2022 (from 47), much of the region has experienced stagnation or decline from a CPI perspective. This includes Thailand (33; ranked 116th) and the Philippines (32; ranked 120th).

The Philippines’ experience highlights persistent challenges in addressing entrenched corruption risks, despite periodic reform initiatives and public commitments to improved governance. Recent reports of a corruption scandal involving a flood control project allegedly implicating officials at multiple levels of government, including cabinet secretaries and members of Congress, as well as prominent business figures, have fueled public outcry and calls for accountability. Government officials have reportedly acknowledged that “over the past decade, losses due to corruption exceed a trillion pesos [approximately USD 17 billion].”

Economic opportunity in the Philippines often carries what might be described as a “complexity tax” in the form of corruption and broader compliance risk. Companies should consider implementing localized and tailored compliance frameworks to identify and mitigate market-specific risks including fraud, self-dealing, and conflicts of interest, before they escalate into more significant legal or reputational exposure.

What Lies Ahead

As we anticipated in last year’s analysis, countries with relatively low or stagnating CPI scores that are seeking to attract foreign investment continue to pursue assertive anti-corruption enforcement. Indonesia exemplifies this trend. Since President Prabowo assumed office in late 2024, Indonesia has experienced a notable increase in anti-corruption investigations and enforcement activity across sectors, even as regulators face criticism regarding perceived political interference.

We expect domestic enforcement activity across APAC to intensify, not recede, in the coming year, as governments seek to promote perceptions of “business friendliness” while navigating a challenging economic climate.

As we have previously noted (and as TI emphasizes), CPI scores are only one indicator of corruption risk, focusing solely on perceptions of public-sector corruption.

Beyond bribery and corruption, businesses operating across APAC face a broad spectrum of compliance risks, including money laundering, terrorism financing, sanctions, and export controls. In a shifting geopolitical environment where domestic priorities and international tensions increasingly shape regulatory and enforcement trends, these risks are now central to strategic and operational decision-making.

Given the growing intersection of legal, compliance, and enforcement risks, companies should ensure that their compliance controls are sufficiently robust to address multiple, overlapping risk areas and prevent operational disruption.

In today’s complex and volatile global environment, companies operating in APAC should consider a holistic recalibration of their compliance strategies to ensure programs remain dynamic and proactive rather than siloed. Legal and compliance teams may wish to consider measures such as comprehensive risk mapping (including localized risk assessments), enhanced due diligence and screening, periodic program testing and refinement, and active stakeholder engagement to ensure that frontline business teams appropriately identify and escalate potential issues.

These steps can help identify compliance gaps early and demonstrate program maturity in the face of increasing regulatory scrutiny.

Please contact us if you would like assistance assessing and addressing compliance-related risks in the Asia-Pacific region or globally.