Viu and iQIYI International unveiled a combined streaming subscription at the APOS conference on Wednesday, with the two platforms planning a joint launch across Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia in the second half of 2026.
The announcement was made during APOS’ “Inside View: The Future of Streaming in Greater Southeast Asia” session, where Viu CEO Janice Lee and iQIYI International president Yang Xianghua appeared together. The deal marks what Yang described as iQIYI International’s first cross-regional streaming alliance. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The bundle pools two complementary libraries under a single subscription. Viu brings Korean and Chinese dramas, Southeast Asian productions, Viu Originals and Viu Shorts microdramas, while iQIYI International contributes premium Chinese and local originals, anime, variety programming and its own microdrama slate. Content available at launch will include Viu Originals “The Season” and “
“It’s a great pleasure to announce the partnership with iQIYI, so as to make the best, most appealing Asian content in the coming year,” Lee said during the session.
Yang cited the complementary strengths of both platforms as the basis for the tie-up. “We share the same goal and values,” he said. He also pointed to iQIYI’s growing Thai originals slate and noted that Chinese dramas currently generate the highest streaming traffic in Thailand, one of the platform’s fastest-growing international markets.
Lee separately elaborated on the strategic rationale in a statement tied to the announcement. “Asian content is at the heart of what our audiences love, and our collaboration with iQIYI International puts that front and center,” she said. “Bringing two rich content offerings into a single bundle gives viewers across Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia deeper access to the best storytelling from across the region.”
“Having deeply cultivated Southeast Asian markets for years, iQIYI International has established a strong presence through our premium Chinese and local content,” Yang said in the same statement. “By combining our highly complementary libraries into a unified subscription, we are offering local audience broader content choices.”
The bundle will be available for direct purchase through both platforms’ websites. Content, features and device compatibility will vary between the two services, with further details to be announced.
Viu, a unit of PCCW Limited, is available across Asia, the Middle East and South Africa. iQIYI International, the global arm of Chinese streaming giant iQIYI, operates across more than 190 territories in 13 languages.
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