Irdeto brings future-ready streaming to Malaysia through partnership with Astro

Leveraging over 50 years of expertise, Irdeto brings advanced cybersecurity and monetisation solutions to support Astro’s shift toward a digital-first future.

With a crucial role to play in global content protection and media technology, Irdeto safeguards digital platforms and revenue streams for media companies worldwide with advanced cybersecurity solutions.

With a strategic focus on expanding its presence in the Asia Pacific region, the company recognises the growing demand for secure digital content delivery in emerging markets, particularly in Malaysia.

Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ talked to Irdeto’s Steve Russell, Head of Global Markets, and Dario Choi, Head of Sales in APAC, during the BroadcastAsia 2025 event in Singapore last 28 May 2025.

The conversation highlighted Irdeto’s strong track record in handling large and complex projects and over 50 years of experience in the pay-TV and digital media space, leading up to its partnership with the content and entertainment company Astro.

Proven strong track record

Irdeto is expanding its market reach with the launch of Irdeto Experience, which helps operators achieve operational efficiency, innovative monetisation, and a unified experience. It was amongst the solutions highlighted by the company during BroadcastAsia 2025, alongside its anti-piracy and end-to-end solutions.

“Irdeto is a unique space where we provide both technology and business enablement. We provide deep insight in terms of customer engagement to provide a better journey and engage more customers on their platforms,” Choi noted.

Choi added that Irderto provides operators with the means to drive better monetisation, factors that secured its collaboration with Astro to overhaul its existing streaming platform, Sooka.

This initiative is fuelled by the goals of enhancing the platform to be able to offer an immersive user experience to its expanding subscriber base and drive improved performance and better engagement with the product.

“What makes Irdeto different is that its solutions are built with the operator in mind,” Russell said. “We work globally with the best across streaming and the pay-TV market. We’re really focussed on how to drive and improve experience and business models for those customers.”

Several key factors that influenced Astro’s decision to work with Irdeto, as pointed out by Russell and Choi, are Irdeto’s customer-first attitude, its stable financial backing from parent company MultiChoice Group, and its reliable technology. 

Irdeto experience

As with many major regional operators, Astro seeks to drive scale, and this is made possible by creating a unique, personalised, and unified experience across different devices.

“It’s got to shine. It’s got to bring all the content sources together, but it’s got to do that in a way that’s operationally sound. Not just that it works flawlessly, but all of the metrics around streaming policy are at the highest level possible,” Russell said.

“It’s driving the most important metric of all, which is monetisation. If you look at an operator like Astro, they’re moving from a classic paid model to try to work on all aspects of monetisation,” he added. “Working with a partner like us, it was the ability to bring all those ways of monetisation together so they can find the best fit for the wider, suggestible market, whilst still delivering that unique, high-quality, beautiful experience.”

With the new Sooka, Irdeto did more than just upgrade infrastructure. It created a more personalised user experience, seamless performance across all devices, and a more dynamic approach to monetisation.

Early reviews on Sooka are glowing, with app store ratings climbing and engagement metrics going up. Russell noted that the platform is not just working—it’s thriving.

Enabling digital transformation across the board

Whilst OTT and DTC operators are a primary focus, Irdeto is also seeing traction amongst traditional broadcasters seeking to pivot toward digital-first strategies. 

As the industry shifts toward more integrated content experiences, Irdeto’s approach is resonating with operators looking for more than a quick fix. They want innovation, insight, and long-term impact, which is exactly what Irdeto delivers.

Whether enhancing customer journeys, safeguarding content, or unlocking new revenue streams, Irdeto ensures it’s a partner in progress.

Discover how Irdeto is shaping the future of digital media security and monetisation. Visit irdeto.com to explore their solutions and success stories.