The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is undergoing a transformative shift towards electronic invoicing
(e-invoicing) driven by tax authorities’ increasing adoption of Continuous Transaction Controls (CTCs).
For US-based multinational companies operating in APAC, staying ahead of these regulatory changes
is critical. As various APAC countries roll out mandatory e-reporting and e-invoicing frameworks,
understanding the nuances of each jurisdiction’s requirements is essential for ensuring compliance and
minimizing operational disruption.
The Rising Importance of E-Invoicing in APAC
E-invoicing, the digital submission of invoices in a structured format,
is becoming a standard requirement across APAC. Countries like India,
Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and the Philippines have already
implemented or announced plans to introduce mandatory e-invoicing,
particularly for Business-to-Government (B2G) and Business-to-Business
(B2B) transactions. This movement aligns with global trends aimed at
reducing tax evasion, increasing transparency, and improving the efficiency
of VAT collection.
Each country’s approach, however, varies in terms of formats, validation
requirements, and enforcement timelines. For instance, India’s e-invoicing
system mandates businesses with a certain turnover threshold to report
invoices to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) portal in real-time. In Malaysia,
a structured XML format must be used for e-invoices, which are validated
through the MyInvois portal
