Starlink Plummets in Myanmar as Scam Centers Shut Down

In a significant shift, Starlink's dominance of Myanmar's internet market has waned considerably since the end of September 2025. According to estimates from regional internet registry Apnic, Starlink's share of Myanmar's internet users has fallen from a high of 14% in the summer to less than 7% by November 10, 2025.

This decline coincides with a crackdown by Myanmar's military junta on scam centers that were utilizing Starlink's satellite internet services. An AFP investigation revealed the presence of Starlink receivers at several of these centers, which are primarily controlled by Chinese criminal groups in collusion with local militias. In response, Starlink's parent company SpaceX announced it had deactivated more than 2,500 of its receivers "in the vicinity of suspected 'scam centers'" in the country.

Satellite imagery analyzed by AFP this week has also revealed damage, and in some cases demolition, to around 100 buildings associated with these scam operations. While three-quarters of the KK Park complex appeared intact as of November 13, 2025, the military junta's crackdown has clearly taken a toll on the infrastructure enabling these fraud schemes.

Experts say the junta has long turned a blind eye to the scam networks, in exchange for the militias controlling border areas on its behalf. However, the recent actions against Starlink-enabled fraud suggest the authorities may be seeking to rein in these illicit activities, even as the country remains embroiled in a broader civil war since the 2021 coup.