Global streaming subscription revenue surpassed $150 billion for the first time in 2025, according to a new survey from Ampere Analysis, which highlighted that as “a major milestone” for the subscription market. And streaming subscription revenue will hit $202 billion by 2030, up 29 percent, “as streamers shift focus from subscriber growth to price increases and ad-supported tiers,” the research firm predicted on Monday.
“While international expansion remains an important driver of the market, platforms are increasingly focusing on monetization through price increases and the rollout of ad-supported tiers, particularly in mature markets,” Ampere emphasized in its latest report. “As ad-free subscriber numbers stabilize, hybrid subscription and advertising models are playing an increasingly important role in revenue growth.”
Global streaming subscription revenue jumped 14 percent in 2025 to reach a total of $157.1 billion. That amounts to a tripling over the past five years from $50 billion in 2020. “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 noted.
Including advertising revenue, streaming services generated $177 billion in revenue worldwide in 2025, Ampere said, putting ad revenue at around $20 billion. The share of total revenue of subscription streamers from ad tiers has risen “rapidly” over the past five years, up from less than 5 percent in 2020 to 28 percent in 2025, the Ampere research highlighted.
“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 $42 billion in annual revenue by 2030,” the company estimated.
The U.S. remained the largest driver of the streaming sector last year, accounting for 50 percent of global streaming subscription revenue in 2025, according to the research firm. “Netflix is the largest contributor in the U.S. market, with revenues up by 14 percent in 2025 following an across-the-board price increase at the start of the year,” Ampere explained. “In more crowded markets such as North America and Western Europe, the next phase of expansion is increasingly driven by ad-tier subscriptions.”
Concluded Lauren Liversedge, senior analyst at Ampere: “As the streaming market matures, the emphasis is no longer on pure subscriber growth but on extracting greater value from existing audiences. Price optimization and the rise of ad-supported tiers are driving revenue growth, particularly in the most competitive markets.”
Read the full article here
