Shrimp chips are not a new snack food in East Asia. They have supposedly been around since about the 16th century when they were first made in West Malaysia. According to legend, the first batch was created with leftover shrimp heads from a feast to avoid food waste. There is some debate on the origins of shrimp chips. Some claim they were first created in Sumatra, Indonesia.
Others believe shrimp chips had an even earlier start in the 9th century. Some inscriptions in Java mention krupuk rambak, which means "cow skin crackers." While the inscriptions don't exactly match the wording for prawn chips, the cow skin crackers were thought to be replicated with other ingredients, like shrimp bits. Specifically, the Sumatra area is known for using shrimp/fish in their crackers as a way to lengthen the shelf life of seafood.
Even though shrimp chips have been popular for years, they did not leave East Asia until the 1800s. During the 19th century, prawn crackers were brought back from Asia to Europe and replicated with various ingredients/flavors. From there, they continued to spread around the world.