Streaming’s next growth engine: ads + pricing, not subs
Ampere Analysis reports that global streaming subscription revenue grew 14% in 2025 to $157.1 billion, surpassing $150 billion for the first time, driven by international expansion, price increases, and the rollout of ad-supported tiers. Ampere forecasts subscription revenue will rise a further 29% over the next five years and exceed $200 billion by 2030, with the US accounting for about half of global revenue and Netflix cited as the largest contributor in that market. The share of total revenue from ad tiers is reported to have grown from under 5% in 2020 to 28% in 2025, with total streaming revenue including advertising reaching $177 billion last year.
Key Takeaways
- Global streaming subscription revenue rose 14% in 2025 to $157.1B, tripling from $50B in 2020
- Ampere forecasts subscription revenue will grow another 29% over the next five years and surpass $200B by 2030
- The US still drives ~50% of global streaming revenue; Netflix is cited as the biggest US contributor (up 14% in 2025)
- Ad-tier revenue share jumped from <5% (2020) to 28% (2025), signaling hybrid models becoming the default
- Including ads, streaming generated $177B in 2025, with an additional ~$42B in annual revenue projected by 2030
Why It Matters
This is the “post-subscriber era” memo in numbers: streaming growth is increasingly ARPU-driven, not user-count driven. Price optimization and ad tiers are becoming the industry’s universal playbook—forcing product teams to treat ad load, churn, and merchandising as core levers, not side quests. For execs and investors, the winners won’t just have great content; they’ll have durable pricing power, scaled ad tech, and credible measurement that pulls brand budgets from linear and digital video. Expect more bundling, more inventory discipline, and more M&A around ad platforms and data.
Read full article at tvbeurope.com
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