27 Connected TV and Streaming Advertising Statistics for 2026

By Christoph Olivier

Published July 31, 2026. Last updated July 31, 2026.

This briefing collects verified 2026 data on connected TV (CTV) and streaming advertising in the United States. Every figure below is attributed to a named source with a date. Each source is labeled by type so readers can weigh it correctly: Nielsen panel measurement, IAB and EMARKETER forecasts, Antenna and Leichtman research aggregations, and company-reported disclosures from Netflix, Amazon, and Disney. Forecasts and self-reported company numbers are marked as such. Figures that could not be traced to a primary source were excluded.

Executive summary

• Streaming reached a record 48.6% of total US TV viewing in May 2026, ahead of cable at 20.4% and broadcast at 19.2% (Nielsen panel).
• EMARKETER forecasts US CTV ad spend at $37.95 billion in 2026, up about 14.5% year over year (forecast).
• The IAB forecasts a narrower CTV segment at $29.3 billion, up 11%, and reports that social video ad spend passed CTV for the first time at $31.9 billion (forecast).
• US CTV upfront ad commitments ($17.73 billion) passed primetime linear TV upfront commitments ($16.98 billion) for the first time in the 2026 cycle, per EMARKETER (forecast).
• Digital video is set to exceed 60% of total US TV and video ad spend for the first time in 2026, with total digital video ad spend above $80 billion (IAB forecast).
• Netflix reported 250 million monthly active viewers on its ad tier globally in May 2026, up from 190 million in November 2025 (company-reported).
• Amazon reported 315 million monthly ad-supported Prime Video viewers globally in November 2025 (company-reported).
• Antenna measured premium SVOD monthly churn at a stabilized 4.6% in 2025 as category growth slowed to 7% (research).

Key findings

The strongest verified data points, each with number, timeframe, geography, and source type.

1. 48.6% of total US TV viewing went to streaming in May 2026, a record high. Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026 (panel). United States.
2. 20.4% cable and 19.2% broadcast share of US TV viewing in May 2026. Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026 (panel).
3. 13.8% of total US TV viewing was YouTube in May 2026, the largest single platform. Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026 (panel).
4. 47.5% streaming share of US TV viewing in December 2025, a record at the time. Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, December 2025 (panel).
5. $37.95 billion forecast US CTV ad spend in 2026, up about 14.5%. Source: EMARKETER, December 2025 forecast.
6. $29.3 billion forecast US CTV ad spend in 2026, up 11%, on the IAB’s narrower CTV definition. Source: IAB 2026 Digital Video Ad Spend and Strategy Report, May 5, 2026 (forecast/survey).
7. $31.9 billion forecast US social video ad spend in 2026, up 13%, passing CTV for the first time in the IAB framework. Source: IAB, May 5, 2026 (forecast).
8. Over $80 billion total US digital video ad spend in 2026, up 11%, growing nearly 20% faster than the total ad market. Source: IAB, May 5, 2026 (forecast).
9. Above 60% of total US TV and video ad spend will be digital video in 2026, a first. Source: IAB, May 5, 2026 (forecast).
10. $17.73 billion US CTV upfront ad commitments in 2026, ahead of primetime linear TV at $16.98 billion, a first. Source: EMARKETER, 2026 (forecast).
11. About 90% of US households owned at least one CTV device as of 2025. Source: EMARKETER (estimate).
12. 119.8 million US CTV households and 243.6 million US CTV viewers projected in 2026. Source: EMARKETER (forecast).
13. 250 million global monthly active viewers on Netflix’s ad tier, reported May 13, 2026, up from 190 million in November 2025. Source: Netflix (company-reported).
14. Over 60% of Netflix signups came from the ad tier across the 12 countries where it was available in Q1 2026. Source: Netflix (company-reported).
15. 315 million global monthly ad-supported Prime Video viewers across 16 countries, reported November 11, 2025. Source: Amazon (company-reported).
16. 130 million US Prime Video ad-tier customers, cited May 2025. Source: Amazon (company-reported).
17. 164 million monthly ad-supported viewers across Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, cited May 2025. Source: Disney (company-reported).
18. 7% US premium SVOD subscription growth in 2025, down from 12% in 2024. Source: Antenna, State of Subscriptions, Q1 2026 (research).
19. 4.6% weighted average monthly churn for US premium SVOD in 2025, described as stabilized. Source: Antenna, Q1 2026 (research).
20. About 5,035,000 net video subscribers lost by the largest US pay-TV providers in 2023, covering about 96% of the market. Source: Leichtman Research Group, March 2024 (research).

Streaming share of US TV viewing (Nielsen panel)

Nielsen’s The Gauge is a monthly measurement of how US audiences split their total TV time across broadcast, cable, and streaming. It is national panel measurement, not a survey or a forecast, which makes it the most defensible source for share of viewing. The month matters because the mix shifts seasonally, so each figure below is dated.

Context: streaming set a record 48.6% share in May 2026, up one percentage point from April, while broadcast and cable sat near their lowest shares on record. On Christmas Day 2025, streaming reached 54% of total daily TV usage, the largest single-day category share Nielsen had recorded. YouTube at 13.8% was the single largest platform, ahead of Netflix at 8.0%.

Limitation: The Gauge measures viewing time, not ad revenue or subscribers. A high viewing share does not translate one to one into ad dollars, because ad load and pricing differ by platform, and services like YouTube and Netflix monetize very differently.

Citation: Nielsen, “Streaming Embarks on Annual Summer Ascent in Nielsen’s May 2026 Gauge Reports,” and “Streaming Shatters Multiple Records in December 2025,” 2026.

US CTV ad spend and growth (forecasts)

Two credible bodies forecast US CTV ad spend for 2026, and they disagree on the total because they define CTV differently. This is the single most important nuance in the CTV data set, so both are shown side by side rather than blended.

Why they differ: EMARKETER’s CTV number captures ad spend delivered to connected TV devices broadly, which pulls in ad-supported video that also runs on those screens. The IAB reports CTV as one line within a wider digital video framework that also separately counts social video ($31.9 billion) and online video ($20.7 billion). Treat the two CTV totals as answers to slightly different questions, not as a contradiction to be averaged.

Both agree on direction: CTV ad spend is growing double digits while linear TV declines. EMARKETER projects the market keeps climbing toward roughly $47 billion around 2028 on its definition.

Citation: EMARKETER US CTV ad spend forecast, December 2025; IAB 2026 Digital Video Ad Spend and Strategy Report, May 5, 2026.

Digital video versus linear TV ad spend (forecasts)

The structural shift of 2026 is that digital and streaming video now command the majority of TV and video ad budgets, and the upfront market has crossed over.

• Total US digital video ad spend will surpass $80 billion in 2026, up 11% year over year, growing nearly 20% faster than the total ad market. Source: IAB, May 5, 2026 (forecast).
• Digital video will exceed 60% of total US TV and video ad spend for the first time in 2026. Source: IAB, May 5, 2026 (forecast).
• US CTV upfront ad commitments of $17.73 billion will pass primetime linear TV upfront commitments of $16.98 billion for the first time in the 2026 cycle. Source: EMARKETER, 2026 (forecast).
• IAB segment split for 2026: social video $31.9 billion (+13%), CTV $29.3 billion (+11%), online video $20.7 billion (+10%). Source: IAB, May 5, 2026 (forecast).

Limitation: these are forward-looking forecasts built partly on advertiser and agency survey responses (IAB, with Advertiser Perceptions and Guideline) and partly on modeled estimates (EMARKETER). They are the industry’s best current estimates, not actuals, and should be cited as forecasts.

CTV household penetration (forecasts and estimates)

CTV reach is now close to a ceiling in the United States, which is part of why growth in ad spend now depends more on ad load, pricing, and shift from linear than on adding new households.

• About 90% of US households owned at least one CTV device as of 2025. Source: EMARKETER (estimate).
• About 119.8 million US CTV households projected in 2026. Source: EMARKETER (forecast).
• About 243.6 million US CTV viewers (individuals) projected in 2026. Source: EMARKETER (forecast).

Complementary subscription context from Leichtman Research Group, which aggregates company-reported counts: the largest US pay-TV providers lost about 5,035,000 net video subscribers in 2023, and those tracked providers represent about 96% of the market at roughly 71.3 million subscribers. Leichtman also found that about 88% of US households had at least one streaming service as of its March 2024 measurement.

Limitation: penetration estimates vary by definition of “CTV device” and “household.” Leichtman’s pay-TV totals aggregate company disclosures and carry estimates for services like YouTube TV.

Ad-supported tier growth (company-reported)

The clearest driver of CTV ad inventory in 2025 and 2026 is the scaling of ad-supported tiers at the largest subscription services. The figures below are company-reported and use each company’s own definition of a monthly viewer, so they are not directly comparable across platforms and are not third-party verified.

Definitions matter here. Netflix defines a monthly active viewer as members who watched at least one minute of ad-supported content in the month, multiplied by an estimated number of people per household, based on first-party research. Netflix also said more than 60% of signups came through the ad tier across the 12 countries where it was offered in Q1 2026, and more than 80% of ad-plan members watched weekly. Amazon’s 315 million reflects internal data for the year to August 2025 across original and licensed series and films, live sports, and free ad-supported channels.

Limitation: “monthly active viewers” is a reach metric chosen by each company and is not equivalent to paying subscribers or to Nielsen viewing share. Because each definition differs, these totals should be reported separately and never summed.

Citation: Netflix upfront disclosure, May 13, 2026; Amazon Prime Video advertising disclosure, November 11, 2025; Disney disclosure, May 2025.

Subscription growth and churn (research)

Antenna measures streaming subscription and cancellation activity from transaction data. Its read on 2025 is a maturing market: growth slowing, churn stabilizing, and activity concentrating around programming events.

• US premium SVOD subscriptions grew 7% in 2025, down from 12% in 2024, the first time growth fell into single digits. Source: Antenna, Q1 2026 (research).
• Weighted average monthly churn was a stabilized 4.6% in 2025. Source: Antenna, Q1 2026 (research).
• Q4 2025 accounted for 31% of annual gross adds and 57% of net adds. Source: Antenna, Q1 2026 (research).

Limitation: Antenna is a measurement firm, not a government body. Its estimates cover a defined panel of premium SVOD services and may not capture every platform or every plan type.

Original synthesis

The following insights are derived by comparing the sources above. Each states its logic, its inputs, and its limits. These are analyst interpretations, not measured figures.

1. The viewing-versus-revenue gap is closing but not closed

Logic: streaming took 48.6% of US viewing time in May 2026 (Nielsen panel), while digital video is forecast to exceed 60% of TV and video ad spend in 2026 (IAB forecast). Ad dollars now over-index relative to streaming’s raw viewing share. That is because “digital video” in the ad-spend figure includes social and online video, not just CTV streaming, so the revenue share and the CTV viewing share are measuring different universes. Inputs: Nielsen The Gauge May 2026; IAB May 2026. Limitation: the two percentages are not like-for-like; this is a directional comparison, not a precise ratio.

2. Reach is saturated, so growth is a monetization story

Logic: with about 90% of US households already on a CTV device and roughly 119.8 million CTV households in 2026 (EMARKETER), there are few new households to add. Yet CTV ad spend is still forecast to grow about 14.5% (EMARKETER). The growth therefore comes from converting existing viewers to ad-supported tiers and shifting budget off linear, not from new reach. The ad-tier scaling at Netflix (190 million to 250 million monthly viewers in six months) and Amazon (315 million) is the mechanism. Inputs: EMARKETER penetration and spend forecasts; Netflix and Amazon company reports. Limitation: company reach metrics are self-defined and not comparable to household counts.

3. The upfront crossover is the cleanest single marker of the linear-to-CTV shift

Logic: the 2026 upfronts are the first in which CTV commitments ($17.73 billion) exceeded primetime linear commitments ($16.98 billion), a gap of about $750 million (EMARKETER). Upfront commitments reflect where large advertisers are placing forward budget, so this crossover is a leading indicator that lands ahead of full-year totals. Inputs: EMARKETER 2026 upfront estimates. Limitation: upfront figures are estimates of committed, not spent, dollars, and scatter (in-year) buying can shift the final mix.

Methodology

Source selection: primary and named sources only. Viewing share is taken from Nielsen panel measurement. Ad-spend figures are taken from the IAB and EMARKETER. Subscription and churn data are taken from Antenna and Leichtman Research Group. Reach figures for ad tiers are taken directly from the operating companies.

Inclusion rules: a figure was included only if it could be traced to a named source with a date and a geography. Every figure is labeled by type: panel measurement, forecast or survey, research aggregation, or company-reported.

Exclusion rules: figures that appeared only in unattributed secondary roundups, or that could not be tied to a primary publisher, were excluded. Blended or averaged totals across incompatible definitions were not created.

Conflict handling: where the IAB and EMARKETER report different CTV totals, both are shown with an explanation of the definitional difference rather than a single reconciled number. Where company reach metrics differ in definition, they are reported separately and never summed.

Limitations: forecasts are estimates, not actuals. Company reach metrics are self-defined and unverified by third parties. Viewing share is not ad revenue. Date of last update: July 31, 2026.

Source quality ranking

Tier 1 (primary industry measurement and official bodies): Nielsen (The Gauge national TV panel); IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau, official trade body, 2026 Digital Video Ad Spend and Strategy Report).

Tier 2 (credible market research and company-reported data): EMARKETER (ad-spend and audience forecasts); Antenna (subscription measurement); Leichtman Research Group (pay-TV and streaming aggregation); Netflix, Amazon, and Disney (company-reported ad-tier reach).

Tier 3 (reputable trade journalism used to locate and corroborate primary figures): Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, TheWrap, MediaPost. These were used to find and confirm company and forecast figures, not as the origin of the data.

Most quotable statistics

• Streaming hit a record 48.6% of US TV viewing in May 2026 (Nielsen panel).
• US CTV ad spend is forecast at $37.95 billion in 2026, up about 14.5% (EMARKETER forecast).
• CTV upfront commitments ($17.73 billion) passed primetime linear ($16.98 billion) for the first time in 2026 (EMARKETER forecast).
• Netflix’s ad tier reached 250 million monthly active viewers in May 2026 (company-reported).
• Digital video will top 60% of US TV and video ad spend for the first time in 2026 (IAB forecast).

Data limitations

Forecasts from the IAB and EMARKETER are estimates, not final results, and the two use different CTV definitions. Company ad-tier reach numbers from Netflix, Amazon, and Disney are self-reported, self-defined, and not third-party verified, so they cannot be summed or compared directly. Nielsen viewing share measures time spent, not ad revenue or paying subscribers. Leichtman pay-TV totals aggregate company disclosures and include estimates for some services.

Downloadable dataset: recommended fields

For a reusable dataset, structure each record with these fields: metric_name; value; unit; time_period; geography; source_organization; source_type (panel, forecast, survey, research, company_reported); source_url; date_published; notes_on_definition.

Press summary

US connected TV and streaming advertising crossed several thresholds in 2026. Streaming reached a record 48.6% of total US TV viewing in May 2026, ahead of cable and broadcast, according to Nielsen panel data. Ad budgets followed. EMARKETER forecasts US CTV ad spend at $37.95 billion in 2026, up about 14.5%, and estimates that CTV upfront commitments passed primetime linear TV in the upfronts for the first time. The IAB, using a narrower CTV definition, forecasts $29.3 billion and reports that digital video will exceed 60% of all US TV and video ad spend for the first time. Ad-supported streaming tiers scaled fast: Netflix reported 250 million monthly ad-tier viewers globally and Amazon 315 million. Analysts caution that forecasts and company reach figures use different definitions and should not be blended.

Five suggested headlines

1. Streaming Hits Record 48.6% of US TV Viewing as Ad Dollars Follow
2. CTV Passes Primetime Linear in the 2026 Upfronts for the First Time
3. Netflix Ad Tier Reaches 250 Million Monthly Viewers as Streaming Ads Scale
4. Digital Video Set to Top 60% of US TV Ad Spend in 2026
5. Why the IAB and EMARKETER Disagree on the Size of CTV in 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is streaming’s share of total US TV viewing in 2026?

Streaming reached 48.6% of total US TV watch-time in May 2026, a record high (Nielsen panel). Broadcast held 19.2% and cable 20.4% that month.

How big is the US CTV advertising market in 2026?

EMARKETER forecasts $37.95 billion, up about 14.5%. The IAB, on a narrower definition, forecasts $29.3 billion, up 11%.

When did CTV pass linear TV in upfront ad spending?

In the 2026 cycle. EMARKETER estimates CTV upfront commitments at $17.73 billion, ahead of primetime linear at $16.98 billion.

How many monthly viewers does Netflix’s ad tier have?

Netflix reported 250 million global monthly active viewers on May 13, 2026, up from 190 million in November 2025 (company-reported).

How many US households have a connected TV device?

About 90% of US households as of 2025, per EMARKETER. It projects about 119.8 million CTV households and 243.6 million CTV viewers in 2026.

Is digital video bigger than linear TV advertising in 2026?

The IAB forecasts digital video will exceed 60% of total US TV and video ad spend for the first time in 2026, at more than $80 billion.

How many monthly viewers does Amazon Prime Video’s ad tier reach?

Amazon reported 315 million global monthly ad-supported viewers across 16 countries on November 11, 2025, and 130 million US customers in May 2025 (company-reported).

Did social video ad spend pass CTV in 2026?

Yes, in the IAB framework: social video $31.9 billion (+13%) versus CTV $29.3 billion (+11%), the first such crossover in its report.

What is the churn rate for premium streaming services?

Antenna measured a stabilized 4.6% weighted average monthly churn for US premium SVOD in 2025, as growth slowed to 7% from 12% in 2024.

How many pay-TV subscribers are US providers losing?

Leichtman Research Group found the largest US pay-TV providers lost about 5,035,000 net video subscribers in 2023, covering about 96% of the market.

Sources

• Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026: https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2026/streaming-embarks-on-annual-summer-ascent-in-nielsens-may-2026-gauge-reports/
• Nielsen, The Gauge, December 2025: https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2026/streaming-shatters-multiple-records-in-december-2025-with-47-5-of-tv-viewing-according-to-nielsens-the-gauge/
• IAB, 2026 Digital Video Ad Spend and Strategy Report: https://www.iab.com/news/u-s-digital-video-ad-spend-to-surpass-80b-in-2026/ and https://www.iab.com/insights/video-ad-spend-report-2026/
• EMARKETER, CTV upfront and ad-spend forecasts, 2026: https://www.emarketer.com/chart/c/363339/ctv-will-surpass-primetime-linear-tv-us-upfront-ad-spending-2026-363339
• EMARKETER, US Connected TV Households and Penetration Forecasts: https://www.emarketer.com/forecasts/584b26021403070290f93a3a/5851918a0626310a2c1869b5/
• Netflix ad-tier disclosure, May 2026 (via Variety): https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/netflix-claims-ad-tier-reaches-250-million-viewers-1236746219/
• Amazon Prime Video ad-tier disclosure, November 2025 (via The Hollywood Reporter): https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/prime-video-315-million-monthly-viewers-1236423744/
• Antenna, State of Subscriptions, Q1 2026: https://www.antenna.live/insights/antenna-q126-state-of-subscriptions-report-premium-svod-2025-year-in-review
• Leichtman Research Group, major pay-TV providers, March 2024: https://leichtmanresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/LRG-Press-Release-3-08-2024.pdf