Macao SAR, China Control of Corruption

Macao SAR’s score on the World Bank’s Control of Corruption indicator rose from a low of 0.42 in 1996 to an all‑time peak of 1.40 in 2004, before slipping to a trough of –0.07 in 2002, illustrating a volatile trajectory over the 26‑year coverage period. The latest 2025 figure of 0.98 places Macao at 35th globally, matching Greenland’s score and trailing United States’ 1.07, suggesting that the region now enjoys a level of anti‑corruption performance comparable to high‑income economies despite its earlier fluctuations. The sharp improvement after the early‑2000s trough reflects intensified regulatory reforms and stronger institutional oversight coinciding with the region’s rapid economic expansion. Nonetheless, the modest decline from the 2004 peak signals that sustaining the gains requires continued vigilance, especially as cross‑border financial flows intensify. Future progress will likely depend on deeper transparency measures and the capacity to enforce existing anti‑corruption statutes, which could push the score higher in subsequent assessments.