Ad-supported streaming revenues to hit $45bn in North America

Ad-supported streaming is set to generate more than half of North American subscription streaming revenues by the end of 2026, according to data revealed today.

UK-based Ampere Analysis expects advertising and ad tiers will generate 54% of total subscription streaming service revenues across the US and Canada by the end of the year.

The shift follows moves by streamers such as Amazon, Netflix and Disney+ to supplement their SVoD revenues with ad-supported tiers.

The move has propelled revenues from advertising and ad-supported tiers in North America to hit $45.1bn in 2026, Ampere said, up from $30.3bn in 2024, $12.2bn in 2022 and just $6.4bn in 2020.

The analyst firm estimates that revenues from advertising alone will exceed $18bn in North America in 2026, accounting for more than one-fifth of total subscription OTT revenues, for the first time.

North America is set to account for almost 60% of global revenues from the ad-supported SVoD market, Ampere said, with consumer goods and retail companies leading the shift to streaming advertising.

Amazon Prime Video, which in 2023 pushed customers onto an ad-supported plan that required an opt out, leads the North American market, with revenues expected to exceed $14bn in 2026.

Ampere also claims that advertising has reshaped commissioning, pointing to research that shows the six largest global streamers doubled first-run and renewal orders for unscripted content in North America between 2020 and 2025. This increased investment was focused on shows “with regular releases that encourage habitual viewing”, the analyst firm said.

Rory Gooderick, research manager at Ampere Analysis, added: “Advertising has become a fundamental part of streamers’ business models, changing both how success is measured and the content they commission.

“As subscriber growth slows in mature markets, the focus has shifted towards driving engagement and habitual viewing. The challenge now is to increase monetisation without compromising the premium viewing experience that these streamers have spent years cultivating.”