Global streaming revenue surpasses $150bn

Ampere said that revenues grew by 14% in 2025, reaching $157.1bn.

The total has tripled in just five years, after surpassing the $50bn mark in 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The international expansion of global streaming services, the rollout of ad-supported tiers, and consistent price increases across major platforms have contributed to the increase.

Ampere said that subscription revenue is forecast to grow by a further 29% over the next five years, surpassing $200bn globally by 2030.

The US remains the largest driver of the sector, accounting for 50% of global streaming subscription revenue in 2025. In the US market, Netflix is the largest contributor, with revenues up by 14% in 2025 following an across-the-board price increase at the start of the year.

In more crowded markets such as North America and Western Europe, the next phase of expansion is increasingly driven by ad-tier subscriptions. The share of the total revenue from these tiers has risen rapidly over the past five years, up from less than 5% in 2020 to 28% in 2025. This reflects the ongoing shift toward hybrid subscription and advertising business models.

Overall, streaming services and their advertising operations generated $177bn globally in 2025. As adoption of ad tiers grows and platforms expand their ad loads, advertising is expected to become an increasingly important revenue stream, adding a further $42bn in annual revenue by 2030.

Ampere found that international expansion remains an important driver of the market, but platforms are increasingly focusing on monetisation through price increases and the rollout of ad-supported tiers, particularly in mature markets. As ad-free subscriber numbers stabilise, hybrid subscription and advertising models are reportedly playing an increasingly important role in revenue growth.

Lauren Liversedge, Senior Analyst at Ampere Analysis, said: “As the streaming market matures, the emphasis is no longer on pure subscriber growth but on extracting greater value from existing audiences. Price optimisation and the rise of ad-supported tiers are driving revenue growth, particularly in the most competitive markets.”

Ampere Analysis recently forecasted that global content investment will reach $255bn in 2026. Discover more here.