Disney+ has expanded its content-swapping deal in Malaysia, partnering with local broadcaster Astro to grow its footprint in the Southeast Asian market. The arrangement is the latest in a series of international content partnerships Disney has pursued as it refines its global streaming strategy.
A Content-Sharing Arrangement With Astro
Under the expanded agreement, a broader selection of Disney+ global content will land across Astro’s platforms, including Astro TV, Astro GO, and NJOI, while a curated selection of Astro’s locally produced Malaysian shows will be added to Disney+, according to Telecompaper’s report on the partnership. A deal like this lets Disney reach deeper into Malaysia’s local entertainment market without building a fully independent local content pipeline, while Astro gains access to part of Disney’s global library.
Part Of A Broader International Strategy
Disney has increasingly leaned on local partnerships like this one to grow its streaming presence in international markets where building independent infrastructure would be costly and slow. Similar arrangements have helped Disney+ gain traction elsewhere in Asia and beyond, letting the platform pair global Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar content with regionally relevant programming that resonates with local audiences.
A Competitive Streaming Market In Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia remains one of the most competitive streaming battlegrounds in the world, with paid streaming accounts across the region’s largest markets climbing 19% year over year to surpass 61 million in 2025, according to research from Media Partners Asia. Disney+ competes there against Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and a cluster of well-funded regional services like Indonesia’s Vidio and Thailand’s TrueID, which makes distribution partnerships with established local operators like Astro an important lever for growth. Disney has run a similar playbook elsewhere in the region, frequently pairing its global library with a telecom or broadcast partner’s existing customer base rather than building local infrastructure from scratch.
The Astro partnership reflects Disney’s continued focus on international subscriber growth as a key driver of its streaming business heading into the back half of 2026. For more on Disney’s business moves, check out our coverage of Bob Iger’s revelations about deals that almost happened.
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