ONE Championship and Kiswe launch global D2C subscription platform for martial arts

This move signals a strategic shift for ONE Championship toward owned-and-operated (O&O) distribution as it seeks deeper monetization of its global fanbase. By integrating localized payment powerhouses like Antom and Xendit, the promotion is addressing a major hurdle for Western-centric sports platforms: low credit card penetration in emerging markets. This technical infrastructure allows for frictionless recurring revenue that bypasses traditional gatekeepers. For the industry, it represents the growing necessity for sports properties to own their billing stack to maximize ARPU. Watch for ONE's upcoming subscriber conversion data as it attempts to transition a social media-heavy following into a paying and recurring D2C audience.

The D2C pivot comes at a critical juncture for ONE Championship. Per reports from LowKickMMA in July 2025, Amazon Prime Video opted not to renew its exclusive U.S. and Canadian broadcasting deal with the promotion, which is set to expire at the end of 2025. This exit forced ONE to reconsider its North American strategy and double down on internal platforms to maintain its reach after the loss of a major Tier-1 distribution partner.

Simultaneously, financial pressure has mounted. While ONE Chairman Chatri Sityodtong publicly projected profitability for late 2024 or 2025 (per South China Morning Post, June 2024), subsequent reporting from Substack's industry analysts in April 2026 revealed that the organization’s FY2024 results still showed high losses and low cash reserves. The new subscription model is likely a tactic to improve cash flow through recurring digital revenue rather than relying solely on sporadic pay-per-view events or non-cash media rights barters.

Kiswe’s role in this expansion mirrors its broader activity in collegiate and professional sports. In February 2026, Kiswe partnered with the Mountain West Conference to transition its app from a free model to a premium subscription service (per Kiswe, February 2026). This trend highlights a maturing D2C market where niche and regional sports properties are moving away from free-to-air social distribution in favor of hardened, localized payment infrastructures that can capture revenue directly from international fanbases.