PubMatic exits OpenWrap Web, recommending Playwire for publisher header bidding

This partnership signals a strategic retreat for PubMatic from web-specific header bidding management as it focuses on high-growth segments like CTV and 'agentic' AI workflows. For the broader ecosystem, it highlights a consolidation of mid-market web monetization into specialized managed-service providers like Playwire. The move suggests that massive SSPs are increasingly offloading operational-heavy web services to focus on unified cross-screen demand and direct buyer tools. Publishers should watch for potential shifts in take rates or demand access as inventory moves from an SSP-native tool to a third-party management layer.

The transition from OpenWrap Web aligns with PubMatic’s broader shift toward high-margin video and AI solutions. Per PubMatic’s Q1 2026 earnings report in May 2026, the company’s emerging revenue streams—including its AgenticOS AI platform and Activate buyer tool—grew over 80% year-over-year, accounting for 14% of total revenue. During the same period, CTV revenue grew 18% excluding a legacy DSP impact, as the firm expanded its reach to serve over 90% of the top 30 global streaming publishers, according to company statements.

This divestment occurs amid wider industry consolidation in the supply-side platform (SSP) space. Per Market Research Future in April 2026, the SSP market is projected to reach $245 billion by 2035, but current growth is being captured by platforms that successfully integrate machine learning and first-party data. Agencies and brands are increasingly mandating strategic partnerships with fewer, more sophisticated sell-side players to reduce supply chain complexity.

Playwire has recently capitalized on this trend by positioning its RAMP platform as a scalable alternative for enterprise media networks. In April 2026, Playwire partnered with The Arena Group to monetize high-impact inventory across brands like Parade and Men’s Journal using its Flex Suite ad formats. By assuming the OpenWrap Web cohort, Playwire cements its role as a primary operator for publishers who require specialized header bidding expertise that legacy SSPs are now deprioritizing in favor of omnichannel infrastructure.