Video streaming: 2.24 billion subscribers worldwide, but growth is set to slow down

According to the latest figures from the consulting firm Omdia, there were 2.24 billion video streaming subscribers worldwide at the end of 2025. This is 17.6% more than in 2024 (1.9 billion). Focus on profitability rather than the race for subscribers. However, growth is expected to slow in 2026 (single-digit growth estimated, see illustration below by Omdia), as the market reaches maturity. Platforms are therefore concentrating on maximizing revenue from their existing customer base (through price increases, in particular) rather than acquiring new subscribers. Nevertheless, acquiring new customers remains crucial, as evidenced by the proliferation of significantly more affordable offers, often accompanied by advertising. These are very popular today. Streaming has historically dethroned pay TV. In terms of revenue, online video surpassed pay TV for the first time in 2025, reaching $176 billion (+13.5% compared to 2024). Pay TV, for its part, generated $163.5 billion (4% less than the previous year).