Asia has served as a home for insect farming for millennia, including the oldest known insect domestication event (sericulture). Beyond Asia’s traditional insect farming practices, Asian countries have also led the world in many recent insect farming innovations. Asian nations are major players in the insects as food and feed, traditional medicine, waste management, beekeeping, shellac and sericulture industries (among others). Trillions of insects are now farmed or otherwise managed each year across these growing industries. Recent research into insect sentience (which some philosophical traditions regard as important for moral consideration) has suggested that at least some insects may plausibly be sentient, leading to calls from industry and academia alike for insect welfare to be considered on farms. In addition, many philosophical and moral traditions that are prominent in Asia emphasise respect for all life irrespective of sentience, including the just treatment of insects. Here, we briefly review what is currently known about insect welfare in the sericulture, beekeeping and food and feed or waste management industries in Asia. We consider the unique political and sociocultural contexts of insect farming in Asia and how they influence ethical and economic dialogues regarding insect welfare. We conclude with future directions for the study of insect welfare in Asia, the application of its principles to relevant industries and the sociocultural and political factors that may shape local decision-making.