The global telecommunications industry generated more than $810bn in tax revenues for governments worldwide in 2025, reflecting its expanding role in digital transformation, economic growth, and public sector financing.
- +Mobile operators pay $810bn in global tax revenues — Report
According to the GSMA’s The Mobile Economy 2026 report, the mobile ecosystem, which comprises mobile network operators, infrastructure and equipment providers, as well as content and service providers, contributed 3.5 per cent of total global tax revenues last year through a combination of employment taxes, social security contributions, corporate taxes, sales taxes, and other levies.
According to the GSMA’s The Mobile Economy 2026 report, the mobile ecosystem, which comprises mobile network operators, infrastructure and equipment providers, as well as content and service providers, contributed 3.5 per cent of total global tax revenues last year through a combination of employment taxes, social security contributions, corporate taxes, sales taxes, and other levies.
The report noted that the mobile sector’s fiscal contribution came at a time when global tax revenues reached $23tn in 2025, representing a 2.3 per cent increase from the previous year. High-income countries accounted for about $17tn, while low- and middle-income countries generated nearly $6tn.
GSMA said, “In 2025, the mobile sector made a substantial contribution to the funding of the public sector, with more than $800bn raised through taxes on the sector. The largest contribution was from employment, taxes, and social security ($270bn).”
The report showed that taxes and social security payments linked to employment represented the single largest component of the sector’s fiscal contribution, generating $270bn for governments around the world.
Beyond direct tax payments, the association said the mobile industry is helping governments improve tax collection systems through digital innovation. Mobile-enabled platforms, digital wallets, and electronic payment channels are making it easier for citizens and businesses to file and pay taxes while reducing compliance costs.
“Beyond its direct contribution, the mobile sector can enable a more efficient collection of tax revenue by enhancing tax processes across the economy. Digital payments represent one channel for achieving this,” the report stated.
According to GSMA, governments are increasingly deploying mobile applications for tax filing and payment to remove friction from the process and encourage higher compliance rates, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises, which often struggle with the cost and complexity of traditional tax administration systems.
The report added that the mobile sector’s role in supporting government finances extends beyond taxation, as its technologies are helping to modernise public services and accelerate digital transformation across economies.
Overall, mobile technologies and services generated $7.6tn in economic value in 2025, accounting for 6.4 per cent of global GDP, with productivity gains contributing the largest share. The wider mobile ecosystem also directly employed 31 million people and supported an additional 19 million jobs across other sectors, bringing the total number of jobs sustained by the industry to 50 million.
GSMA projects that by 2030, the mobile sector’s contribution to the global economy will rise to $11.3tn, or 8.4 per cent of global GDP, driven by the continued expansion of mobile services and the increasing adoption of advanced technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things.
