Dublin, Feb. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The “Digital Ad Spend Market Size & Forecast by Spend Value Across 100+ KPIs by Type of Advertising Channel, Format & Media, Platforms, Pricing Models, Industry, Digital Ecosystem, and Media Buying Method – Databook Q1 2026 Update” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.
The global digital ad spend market is expected to grow by 13.2% annually, reaching US$972.5 billion by 2026. The market has experienced robust growth during 2020-2025, achieving a CAGR of 11.3%. This upward trajectory is expected to continue, with the market forecast to grow at a CAGR of 15.1% from 2026 to 2029. By the end of 2029, the digital ad spend market is projected to expand from its 2025 value of US$859.0 billion to approximately US$1.48 trillion.
The competitive environment for digital advertising is intensifying as legacy tech platforms, commerce players, content owners, and ad-tech startups converge around new monetisation opportunities. While Google, Meta, and Amazon still dominate spend allocation, rapid expansion in CTV, retail media, and AI-powered tools is broadening the field. The market is witnessing consolidation in some areas, experimentation in others, and a reconfiguration of alliances based on data access and campaign performance.
Competitive Intensity is High Across Segments
Digital ad competition is no longer confined to traditional tech platforms. Retailers (e.g., Walmart, Carrefour, Reliance), streamers (e.g., Netflix, Disney+, JioCinema), and commerce marketplaces (e.g., Shopee, Mercado Libre) are building ad businesses. The proliferation of self-serve ad platforms and API-based media buying is making market entry easier, intensifying spend fragmentation.
- Google remains strong in search and programmatic display, but faces new scrutiny around data dominance and AI use.
- Meta continues to draw performance spend via Instagram and Reels, but TikTok is steadily gaining share, especially in younger cohorts.
- Amazon’s advertising division has expanded into upper-funnel video and offsite display, while Apple and Microsoft are growing niche advertising arms via native placement ecosystems.
Key Players and Emerging Challengers
The core global players such as Google, Meta, Amazon are being challenged on multiple fronts. Retail media is led by Amazon globally, but Walmart Connect, Target Roundel, and Instacart in the US, as well as Carrefour, Mercado Libre, and Alibaba internationally, are scaling fast.
- In video, YouTube remains dominant, but Netflix, Roku, Samsung Ads, and Disney+ are carving out addressable video segments.
- In ad tech, The Trade Desk and Magnite have strengthened their presence in CTV, while smaller firms like PubMatic, LiveRamp, and Innovid are innovating on identity, measurement, and creative delivery.
- TikTok and Snap remain relevant for social and mobile-first formats but face regulatory and brand safety headwinds.
Generative AI reshapes digital advertising operations and creative production
Generative AI is being integrated across digital ad production, targeting, and measurement processes globally. Platforms such as Meta, Google, and Amazon are embedding generative tools to automate creative versioning, audience insights, and campaign planning. For instance, Google Performance Max now uses AI to generate ad variants based on asset inputs, while Meta’s Advantage+ suite leverages AI to test and optimise creatives at scale.
- Advertisers are seeking efficiency in campaign management and creative production, particularly as digital campaigns become more fragmented across formats and platforms. AI offers a solution by enabling dynamic personalisation, reducing production cycles, and scaling experimentation.
- Adoption is expected to intensify as AI tools become embedded in standard campaign workflows. However, regulatory scrutiny over AI-generated content and transparency will influence platform design and advertiser uptake. The competitive advantage will tilt toward players that integrate AI within privacy-compliant and brand-safe environments.
Retail Media Networks (RMNs) evolve into full-funnel platforms
Retail media has become the fastest-growing segment in global digital advertising. Companies like Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect, and Carrefour Links are expanding capabilities beyond sponsored listings into video, display, and offsite advertising. Global retailers are now bundling first-party data access, on-site placements, and media execution to position themselves as full-funnel solutions.
- The deprecation of third-party cookies and rising demand for commerce-linked ROI have driven brands to seek media inventory with embedded purchase signals. Retailers, with their rich first-party shopper data, offer a privacy-safe alternative to traditional cookie-based targeting.
- RMNs will likely consolidate their position as core performance channels, with more global retailers investing in self-serve ad platforms and DSP integrations. Expect tighter integration with social and video ecosystems, further blurring the lines between content, commerce, and media.
CTV and ad-supported streaming open new video monetisation layers
Connected TV (CTV) and ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) are becoming central to global media plans. Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video have launched ad-supported tiers, while local players such as ITVX (UK), TF1+ (France), and JioCinema (India) are building hybrid monetisation models. CTV is attracting both brand and performance budgets due to its lean-back format and household-level targeting.
- Consumer migration from linear to streaming has accelerated, especially post-pandemic. Subscription fatigue and economic pressure are nudging users toward free or subsidised content, creating supply for ad inventory. Advertisers are seeking premium video environments with measurable outcomes.
- The ecosystem will mature as measurement and targeting improve. Expect growth in programmatic CTV, partnerships between telcos and streamers, and unified measurement frameworks to validate cross-platform reach. Global ad spend on streaming platforms is set to rise, but fragmentation will demand platform-agnostic planning tools.
Walled gardens maintain control, but open web and retail media pressure grows
Google, Meta, and Amazon remain dominant recipients of global digital ad spend, but their share faces increasing competition from retail media networks, independent publishers, and commerce-driven ad tech. Apple’s SKAdNetwork and Google’s Privacy Sandbox are also reshaping how campaigns are measured within closed ecosystems.
- Advertiser fatigue with opaque measurement and limited control is pushing demand for more transparent, open-web solutions. At the same time, platforms are fortifying their ecosystems with exclusive tools and data to retain spend.
- The balance of power will likely shift incrementally. While walled gardens retain efficiency and scale, the open web will grow with contextual solutions and new identity frameworks. The next frontier will be interoperability tools that allow advertisers to operate across ecosystems without compromising compliance or performance.
Sustainability and responsible media buying rise as brand priorities
Global brands are increasingly factoring sustainability and ethical media placement into digital ad planning. Initiatives such as GroupM’s carbon calculator and ad net-zero commitments by agencies are gaining traction. Advertisers are reviewing supply chains to minimise emissions from programmatic buying and avoid misinformation or non-brand-safe placements.
- Stakeholder pressure, regulatory developments, and investor focus on ESG performance are compelling brands to re-evaluate media practices. Media buyers are seeking to align spend with corporate sustainability targets.
- Sustainability will move from a CSR checkbox to a procurement KPI. Expect broader use of emissions calculators, publisher audits, and exclusion lists. Transparent, verifiable frameworks will determine how media suppliers compete for brand dollars.
Key Attributes:
| Report Attribute | Details |
| No. of Pages | 1620 |
| Forecast Period | 2026 – 2029 |
| Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2026 | $972.5 Billion |
| Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 | $1480 Billion |
| Compound Annual Growth Rate | 15.1% |
| Regions Covered | Global |
A Bundled Offering, Combining the Following 18 Reports, Covering 1000+ Tables and 1300+ Figures
- Global Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- Argentina Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- Australia Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- Brazil Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- Canada Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- China Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- France Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- Germany Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- India Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- Italy Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- Mexico Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- Philippines Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- Russia Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- South Africa Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- Thailand Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- United Arab Emirates Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- United Kingdom Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
- United States Digital Ad Spend Market Business and Investment Opportunities Databook
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/b5w3zd
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