POWERED BY

Sheesh! Last week was a whirlwind in Mongolian politics. MPP crowned its new leader amid a flurry of secrets and power plays. Meanwhile, the PM wrapped up his first 100 days, juggling numbers like a chess master. One thing is clear. In politics, everyone’s playing the game, but not always by the rules. Definitely something to keep in mind next time! 😮‍💨

Today’s Highlights:

• 🏛️ MPP’s New Leader

• 📊 PM’s 100 Days

• 🎵 Fresh Faces in Music Streaming

No Time to Waste. Let’s Get Started! 🦘

MARKET

EBRD: EBRD projects 5.8% growth for Mongolia in 2025. 

MNG: Former Minister of Justice B. Enkhbayar claimed that Erdenes Tavantolgoi JSC signed a deal with China Energy that set coal prices $53 below market, resulting in a $10 billion loss.

MNG: For the first time, the Mongolian Parliament conducted MPs’ questions in a debate format.

🤐 PM’s 100 Days: Facts or Fiction

Prime Minister G.Zandanshatar marked his first 100 days in office on Friday, coinciding with Mongolia’s first-ever Tech Week event. The government used the occasion to highlight its achievements, particularly in digital transformation, while presenting numbers that raise questions about their accuracy and attribution.

☝️ Laying the Groundwork for “Digital First”

In his speech, the PM highlighted steps to build a digital economy, including a “Virtual Zone” for IT production, the approval of 7 “Digital First” principles, and the National Strategy for Big Data and AI with 74 recommendations. He also pointed to the rollout of “E-Mongolia 5.0,” aimed at fully digitizing e-documents as part of the broader “5D Strategy.”

🙈 Economic Claims VS Reality

The PM’s economic claims were less straightforward. He claimed his government cut ₮2.3 trillion from the budget in a week, turning a looming deficit into a surplus, while foreign exchange reserves hit $5.7 billion and GDP growth rose from 2.4% to 5.6%. But how could a budget cut in July affect first-half GDP growth?

• 🤔 Yet the reality behind these numbers is more nuanced. First-half GDP growth predates the administration’s June budget cuts, and the rise in foreign exchange reserves largely reflects strong copper exports rather than fiscal measures. Copper accounted for 37.6% of total exports in the first 8 months, rivaling coal and helping to stabilize the economy.

🎯 The Road Ahead: 5D Strategy and “Digital First”

Looking forward, G.Zandanshatar has outlined a “5D Strategy” with sweeping ambitions:

• Double GDP and exports within 10 years.

• Double renewable energy capacity.

• Ensure economic independence.

• Fully digitize government services.

• Expand the digital economy to new levels.

The vision is ambitious, but its credibility will hinge not on celebratory speeches or selective statistics, but on consistent policy implementation, realistic fiscal discipline, and the ability to turn resource-driven windfalls into sustainable growth.

Final words… So, yes, the PM and his team have shown themselves to be smart enough to shuffle statistics like chess pieces, hardly surprising for a leader who prides himself on the game, and in the process, they’ve painted a picture of a hero rescuing Mongolia from recession. But on the ground, Mongolia does not need a straight “A” PM skilled in selective arithmetic. What it needs is a leader capable of turning numbers into reality, beyond polished speeches and staged victories.

⭐ Selected for you

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

• Journeys International and MEJDI Tours Announce Partnership for Cross-Cultural Travel. (Morningstar)

• Redhill Opens New Office in Mongolia. (CampaignBriefAsia)

• Marriott International to Launch Its First AC Hotel in Mongolia. (InsideMongolia)

• Mongolia Fails to Get Disclosure from Rio Tinto. (GlobalArbitrationReview) 

POLITICS

• Armenian, Mongolian Foreign Ministers Discuss Expansion of Relations. (ArmenPress) 

• Mongolia Ready to Supply Wool to Kyrgyzstan. (AKIPress)

• A Public Hearing on the Draft Law on Economic Freedom will be Held This Thursday. (MED)

• Mongolian Chamber to Collaborate with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (MongolChamber). 

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

• Mongolia's Shifting Tourism Industry – and What it Means for the Country's Nomads. (CNTraveller)

• Shifting Grasslands: Why Overgrazing isn't the Biggest Threat. (Earth) 

🎵 Fresh Face in the Music Streaming Industry

Mongolia’s music fans no longer have to wait to hear their favorite songs. With a surge of streaming platforms, users can now access music anytime, while local platforms are gaining ground, signaling a vibrant and growing domestic market.

🪂 Mongolian Platforms Rising

The country now hosts 3 active domestic platforms, MMusic, backed by MCS Group, MyArtist, launched last year, and the newest entrant, Sony, operated by Mongol Content LLC under Mobicom Corporation. Their emergence reflects increasing corporate investment in the sector and rising appetite for localized content.

• 💰 Access and Pricing: Subscription pricing ranges from ₮6,900 a month on Sonsy to ₮9,900 on MMusic, while MyArtist offers individual track purchases. Despite this, free access remains popular. Only 3 of the top 10 music apps on Mongolia’s App Store are paid services, underscoring the challenge of converting listeners into paying customers.

• 🚨 High Costs, Big Rewards: Operating in the nascent market remains costly. Platforms typically allocate 70%–90% of revenue to artists, ensuring creators are compensated but keeping operational costs high.

🫧 A Booming Market

Globally, music streaming revenue surpassed $20 billion last year, with 752 million paying subscribers. Spotify (SPOT) leads the pack with 276 million paid users and posted its first-ever profit of €1.1 billion in 2024, nearly two decades after its launch, showing the enormous potential of the streaming model.

However, the widespread availability of free streaming platforms continues to undermine intellectual property rights and limit revenue for local artists, highlighting a key challenge for Mongolia’s emerging music ecosystem.

Partnership Inquiries:

Place an ad
Publisher: Ts.Ankhbayar
Writer: M.Khulan
Graphics by: Ts.Tselmeg

Disclaimer: The information Inside Mongolia provides is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be or constitute financial advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The decision whether to consider the information we provide is solely our readers' independent decision.