Netflix’s ad business accelerates, with $8B in revenue projected by 2030

Netflix is moving deeper into the advertising market, with new forecasts indicating its ad revenue could reach $3 billion in 2026 — double the estimated $1.5 billion generated in 2025 — and climb to $8 billion annually by 2030.

According to a recent analysis from WARC Media, the streaming company is on track to capture 9.2% of global connected TV (CTV) advertising spend by 2027, up from roughly 3.7% in 2025. By the end of the decade, WARC expects the platform to account for close to 10% of total CTV ad investment worldwide, reflecting a strategy focused on gaining share from competitors rather than relying solely on overall market growth.

Advertising remains a minority contributor to Netflix’s overall revenue base — subscriptions continue to generate the bulk of income — but the ad-supported tier has shifted from a limited rollout to a central growth driver. Industry estimates suggest ad revenue represented about 3% of total company revenue in 2025, a proportion expected to expand as inventory, formats and partnerships scale.

The company’s global footprint underpins those projections. Netflix reports an audience reach approaching one billion people, 315 million paid subscribers as of late 2025, and roughly 200 billion hours of annual viewing. In markets such as the United States and the United Kingdom, it accounts for more than half of subscription video-on-demand viewing, according to industry measurements.

In the United States, advertiser demand is concentrated in several key verticals. Data from Sensor Tower for the second quarter of 2025 shows shopping brands led spending at $82 million, followed by consumer packaged goods at $78 million, financial services at $66 million, travel and tourism at $54 million, and telecommunications at $44 million.

WARC’s report also highlights Netflix’s efforts to broaden its commercial ecosystem. Beyond on-demand series and films, the platform is investing in live sports, cultural events, video podcasts and cloud gaming across mobile and TV environments. Analysts suggest a potential acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery could further expand content depth and bundling opportunities, strengthening monetization across high-attention viewing.

The competitive context remains complex. Subscription video-on-demand services face pressure from declining per-user viewing time and intensifying competition from free, ad-supported platforms such as YouTube. Netflix’s approach has centered on premium, curated programming and deeper integration between content and brand partnerships, particularly among younger audiences.

Survey data cited by WARC indicates that advertisers rank Netflix among the more trusted global digital platforms, behind YouTube, Instagram and Google. Among Gen Z viewers, brand integrations tied to specific shows are associated with higher reported purchase intent and brand trust, reinforcing the company’s emphasis on intellectual property–driven campaigns.