Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) have become increasingly prominent across Asia. This eminence (and notoriety) reflects that seen globally, with MOOCs viewed both as eliminating inequities in access to higher education and as a failed experiment in learning. This chapter investigates the relationship between formal distance education and MOOCs, seeing MOOCs emerge from the Open Educational Resources, Open CourseWare, and the Open Educational Practice movements. The emergence of MOOCs is described across six developed and developing Asian countries. These cases illustrate how MOOCs in Asia differ from those of the United States and Europe. Specifically, they have been supported by central governments through direct funding and robust policy environments. Barriers to the wider adoption of MOOCs in Asia are explored in the chapter, covering a range of factors that include language of delivery, cultural specificity, and technical infrastructure. The chapter concludes with a brief exploration of possible future directions for MOOCs in Asia.