LONDON—Global streaming subscription revenue surpassed $150 billion for the first time in 2025, according to new research from Ampere Analysis, marking a major milestone for the subscription OTT market.
That means subscription revenues have tripled since 2020 when they first hit $50 billion.
The report also highlighted the fact that 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.
Article continues belowAs ad-free subscriber numbers stabilize, hybrid subscription and advertising models are playing an increasingly important role in revenue growth, the researchers noted.
Total streaming revenue, including both advertising and subscription revenue, generated $177 billion 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 $42 billion in annual revenue by 2030.
Lauren Liversedge, senior analyst at Ampere Analysis, explained that “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.”
Other key findings included:
- Global streaming subscription revenue grew by 14% in 2025 to reach a total of $157.1 billion, a milestone for the industry. The total has tripled in just five years, surpassing $50 billion 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.
- Subscription revenue is forecast to grow by a further 29% over the next five
- years, surpassing $200 billion globally by 2030.
- The US remains the largest driver of the sector, accounting for 50% of global streaming subscription revenue in 2025.
- Netflix is the largest contributor in the US market, 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. Share of 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.
