29 billion videos on YouTube

According to the latest estimates from the firm Omdia, by the end of 2025, there will be 29 billion videos available on YouTube. The growth in the number of videos has recently been accelerated by Shorts and AI-generated videos, as well as by YouTube's expansion into large markets like India. Omdia's study reveals that the YouTube platform is dominated by music videos and professional content: music videos account for 33% of total watch time, and this figure rises to 46% for professional videos. Other interesting facts: podcasts are gaining popularity and now account for 5% of total viewing time, while news remains important—the third most popular category—with 10% of viewing time. Daoud Jackson, Principal Analyst at Omdia, explains: “YouTube is the world’s most popular video service and is expected to reach 30 billion videos by early 2026. Omdia’s research shows that the 99% least-watched videos account for only 9% of total viewing time. Yet, YouTube continues to host the equivalent of 280,000 years of video content, most of which is rarely watched—a fascinating aspect of the platform’s strategy.”