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.
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.
