Ampere Analysis confirms the sector tripled its revenue in five years, with advertising emerging as the primary growth engine.
The global streaming market closed 2025 with subscription revenues of $157.1 billion, surpassing the $150 billion threshold for the first time. That is the finding of a new Ampere Analysis report, which puts annual growth at 14% and notes that the sector has tripled the $50 billion recorded in 2020.
Including advertising revenue, the total reaches $177 billion. The share of ad-supported tiers in the overall revenue mix grew from under 5% in 2020 to 28% in 2025 — a structural shift that is redefining how platforms do business: growth no longer hinges on adding subscribers but on extracting more value from existing ones.
“The emphasis is no longer on pure subscriber growth but on deriving greater value from existing audiences. Price optimization and the rise of ad-supported tiers are driving revenue growth, particularly in the most competitive markets,” said Lauren Liversedge, Senior Analyst at Ampere Analysis.
The United States accounts for 50% of global subscription revenues. Netflix leads that market with 14% growth in 2025, driven by a round of price increases early in the year. Looking ahead, Ampere projects that advertising will add an additional $42 billion annually by 2030, pushing global subscription revenues above the $200 billion mark.
