Trust turns inward in Singapore as insularity rises

Nearly three in four Singaporeans are hesitant or unwilling to trust people who are different from them, according to the latest Edelman Trust Barometer 2026, signalling a deeper shift that could reshape how brands engage audiences.

The study found that 74% of respondents in Singapore fall into an “insular” mindset, meaning they are reluctant to trust those with different values, beliefs, backgrounds or approaches to societal issues. Only a quarter of respondents said they were open to such differences. This suggests that the challenge is no longer just declining trust, but a shrinking willingness to trust at all.

This shift cuts across demographics, with insularity spanning age, income and political lines. While it is slightly higher among older groups, the data shows a consistent majority across segments, suggesting the behaviour is structural rather than isolated to any one audience group.

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As such, mass messaging becomes harder to land, as audiences are less receptive to viewpoints or narratives that do not already align with their own. In turn, relevance, familiarity and shared values are becoming stronger drivers of engagement than reach alone. The impact is already being felt in the workplace and broader business environment.

According to Edelman, nearly half of respondents said they would rather switch departments than report to a manager with different values, while 39% said they would put in less effort if their team leader held different political beliefs. Beyond the workplace, 37% said they would support reducing the number of foreign companies operating in Singapore, even if it resulted in higher prices.

Taken together, the findings point to a growing tilt towards localism and values alignment, making it harder for global brands to compete without strong local relevance.

Despite this, Singapore remains a relatively high-trust market at an institutional level. Government (76%), employers (70%), business (60%), media (60%) and NGOs (60%) are still trusted, even as slight year-on-year dips were recorded across most categories.

Trust levels across institutions further reinforce this shift. While media in Singapore remains relatively stable, with 54% saying they trust it to do what is right, that figure sits just above neutral and reflects a fragile balance rather than strong confidence.

At the same time, among those with an insular mindset, trust in business leaders is notably weak, with CEOs falling into distrust territory.

Instead, trust is increasingly concentrated in familiar and local figures, including government leaders and personal networks. This suggests that authority alone is no longer enough to carry credibility, particularly for brands relying on top-down corporate messaging.

The report also highlights a broader erosion of optimism, with only 32% of Singapore respondents believing the next generation will be better off. Combined with rising economic anxiety and concerns over misinformation, this creates a more cautious and inward-looking audience.

With audiences becoming more selective, fragmented and less open to persuasion, broad-based campaigns may struggle while strategies rooted in local relevance, community voices and shared values are likely to carry greater weight in Singapore. 

This growing scrutiny is also playing out online. According to Digital 2026 Singapore Meltwater We Are Social, 71.1% of Singaporeans are concerned about misinformation, pointing to rising demand for transparency and accountability in digital spaces.

Despite Singapore’s high digital adoption, with nearly the entire population online and active on social media, users are becoming more intentional in how they engage. Concerns around data privacy and content credibility are shaping behaviour, with more consumers actively managing what they see, share and trust.

This shift is reinforcing a broader pattern: whether offline or online, trust is no longer assumed but evaluated.

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