Live commerce, or livestream shopping, is becoming a significant sales channel in Singapore. According to new research by DBS, the live commerce market is projected to generate up to USD 1.3 billion (SGD 1.67 billion) in sales this year. This accounts for about 40% of the local social commerce market, which is expected to reach USD 3.2 billion (SGD 4.11 billion) in 2025.
DBS has started offering workshops and live-selling sessions aimed at helping heartland merchants and small businesses develop live commerce capabilities.
The bank’s research shows that consumer habits are shifting as people spend more time on social media than on traditional websites, fueling a compound annual growth rate of 16% for social commerce. By 2030, social commerce sales could double to USD 6.6 billion (SGD 8.47 billion), with live commerce making up more than a third of that amount.
Compared with traditional e-commerce, live selling allows consumers to interact directly with merchants in real-time through their smartphones and offers sellers an opportunity to demonstrate products to large audiences while answering questions and providing real-time promotions.
Research indicates that conversion rates for livestream selling can be up to ten times higher than those seen in conventional e-commerce platforms, according to McKinsey (source). Video content also plays a key role; Boston Consulting Group found that over two-thirds of consumers trust content they see on live commerce platforms (source).
Generative artificial intelligence is expected to further increase adoption of live commerce by enabling features such as real-time translation tools and AI-powered hosts capable of running continuous livestreams—capabilities already being piloted in markets like China.
To help local businesses adapt, DBS introduced live selling workshops for its SME clients as part of its Heartland Merchant Banking Package (more details). In partnership with TikTok and Boom Media, DBS conducted two social commerce workshops and three live selling sessions where over seventy participants received training in content creation and viewer engagement.
Many companies put these skills into practice during the “SG60: Transforming Businesses for the Future” event—a sixty-hour live-selling initiative celebrating Singapore’s sixtieth birthday. The session was held from August 1–3 in partnership with TikTok and Samsung Electronics Singapore, featuring sixty local businesses and setting a record as Southeast Asia’s longest continuous live-selling stream.
Eighty-seven percent of participating merchants were first-time live sellers; five were DBS Foundation grantees. The event reached nearly fifteen million impressions on TikTok.
Chen Ze Ling, Group Head of Corporate and SME Banking at DBS said: “This is part of our broader effort to help SMEs transform and stay competitive. Live commerce offers a simple, low-cost way to reach not just local customers, but regional ones too – without needing to set up a physical presence overseas. By helping more SMEs tap into this evolving space, we are positioning local companies to seize new growth opportunities, build digital capabilities and connect with tomorrow’s customers in new and impactful ways.”
Sachin Mittal, Head of Technology Research at DBS added: “Live commerce is no longer experimental. It is becoming part of the everyday online shopping experience, especially for mobile-first consumers. While still at an early stage in Singapore, the potential is significant. What makes live selling so powerful is its ability to close the gap between discovery and purchase almost instantly.”
Heng Juit Wen, Co-Founder of Selenight Co shared: “With the support we received from DBS during the SG60: Transforming Businesses for the Future livestream, it gave us the confidence to finally try live selling. As first-timers, we were surprised by how fun and interactive it was. We saw a definite spike in conversions, especially for the SG60 pieces we featured, and new customers discovered us through the livestream. Beyond the sales, the real win was the genuine connection built. Many reached out to us with product enquiries after the livestream. We are already excited to do it again, and we hope to include styling tips and deeper conversations with our audience next time.”
DBS states that this initiative continues its efforts toward supporting business transformation as customer behaviors change alongside evolving digital platforms.