Table of Contents
Global Overview
Digital advertising continues its rapid growth trajectory, with global spend set to reach unprecedented levels in 2026. These statistics demonstrate the scale and momentum of the digital advertising industry.
Global advertising spend is forecast to surpass $1 trillion for the first time in 2026, growing at 5.1% year-over-year. Digital advertising will reach $835.82 billion, representing 68.7% of total advertising investment.
Global ad spend milestone (2026)
Source: GroupM
Digital ad spend (2026)
Source: Statista
Digital share of total ad spend
Source: eMarketer
Global ad spend growth rate
Source: GroupM
Projected total ad spend by 2035
Source: Statista
Digital ad spend annual growth
Source: eMarketer
Key Market Trends
- Trillion-dollar milestone: 2026 marks the first year global advertising exceeds $1 trillion
- Digital dominance: Digital advertising accounts for 68.7% of total spend, up from 52% in 2020
- Mobile-first: Mobile advertising represents 62% of digital ad spend
- Video growth: Video ad spend growing at 12% annually, fastest among established formats
- AI integration: 45% of digital ad spend now involves AI-powered optimisation
- Privacy impact: Post-cookie advertising solutions driving $50B+ in new ad tech spending
US Market Statistics
The United States remains the world's largest advertising market, driving innovation and setting trends that influence global advertising. US digital advertising shows particularly strong growth.
US ad spend is projected to grow 9.5% in 2026, significantly outpacing the global average. Digital advertising in the US will exceed $200 billion, with mobile accounting for more than half of all digital spend.
US ad spend growth (2026)
Source: eMarketer
Total US ad spend (projected 2026)
Source: GroupM
US mobile ad spend (2024)
Source: eMarketer
US digital ad spend (2025)
Source: Statista
US Market Dynamics
- Political advertising: 2026 midterms expected to add $12B+ in political ad spend
- Streaming surge: Connected TV ad spend growing at 25% annually in the US
- Retail media boom: Amazon, Walmart, and other retail media networks capturing 15%+ of digital budgets
- Local advertising: Local digital ad spend growing at 12%, driven by SMBs
- B2B growth: B2B digital ad spend reaching $15B+, growing at 18% annually
Channel Breakdown
Understanding channel-level spend and growth rates helps marketers allocate budgets effectively. These statistics reveal where advertising investment is flowing in 2026.
Social media advertising leads channel growth at +14.6%, followed by connected TV at +13.8% and commerce/retail media at +12.1%. Linear TV is the only declining channel at -1.7% as viewers continue shifting to streaming.
Social media ad growth
Source: MAGNA
Retail media growth (fastest)
Source: eMarketer
Connected TV growth
Source: MAGNA
Commerce media growth
Source: GroupM
Linear TV decline
Source: MAGNA
Search advertising growth
Source: eMarketer
Channel Investment Breakdown
| Channel | 2026 Spend | Share | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search | $260B | 31% | +7.2% |
| Social Media | $220B | 26% | +14.6% |
| Display | $150B | 18% | +5.8% |
| Video (Digital) | $95B | 11% | +12.0% |
| Retail Media | $60B | 7% | +14.1% |
| Other Digital | $50B | 6% | +8.0% |
Channel Trends to Watch
- Retail media explosion: Amazon, Walmart, Target retail media growing 3x market rate
- CTV fragmentation: Ad-supported streaming creating premium video inventory
- Audio advertising: Podcast and music streaming ads growing at 15% annually
- Gaming: In-game advertising emerging as major channel, $8B+ in 2026
- DOOH: Digital out-of-home recovering post-pandemic, growing at 10%
Regional Breakdown
Digital advertising growth varies significantly by region, with emerging markets showing the fastest growth rates while mature markets maintain the largest absolute spend.
Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing advertising region at $376.4 billion, driven by China and emerging markets. Brazil leads Latin America with 9.1% growth, making it the world's most dynamic advertising market.
APAC ad spend (fastest-growing)
Source: GroupM
US ad spend (largest market)
Source: GroupM
UK growth (leading Europe)
Source: AA/WARC
Brazil growth (most dynamic)
Source: GroupM
Regional Market Summary
- North America: $510B total, 6.2% growth, mature market with strong digital adoption
- Asia-Pacific: $376B total, 8.5% growth, China and India driving expansion
- Europe: $185B total, 4.8% growth, UK leading at 5.7%
- Latin America: $38B total, 8.2% growth, Brazil and Mexico leading
- Middle East & Africa: $12B total, 6.5% growth, emerging digital infrastructure
Market Maturity Indicators
- Digital share by region: US (72%), UK (82%), China (65%), India (55%), Brazil (60%)
- Mobile share: Highest in APAC (70%+), growing fastest in Africa
- Programmatic adoption: US (85%), Europe (78%), APAC (65%), LATAM (55%)
Platform Revenue
A handful of platforms dominate digital advertising revenue, with Google and Meta capturing the majority of spend. However, new players are rapidly gaining ground.
Google and YouTube are projected to generate $229.42 billion in advertising revenue in 2026, maintaining their position as the largest digital advertising platform. Amazon's ad business is the fastest-growing major platform at $65-70.8 billion.
Google + YouTube ad revenue (2026)
Source: Alphabet
Meta (Facebook + Instagram) revenue
Source: Meta
Amazon ad revenue (projected)
Source: eMarketer
TikTok ad revenue (projected)
Source: Industry Reports
Platform Market Share
- Google (Search + YouTube + Display): ~28% of global digital ad market
- Meta (Facebook + Instagram): ~20% of global digital ad market
- Amazon: ~8% and growing, dominant in retail media
- Microsoft (Bing + LinkedIn): ~5% with strong B2B presence
- TikTok: ~3% and fastest-growing among major platforms
- Other platforms: Remaining 36% fragmented across publishers and networks
Emerging Platform Trends
- Amazon advertising: Growing 20%+ annually, becoming third force in digital
- TikTok: Expected to capture 5%+ of digital ad market by 2028
- Apple: App Store ads and emerging advertising business now $5B+
- Netflix: Ad-supported tier generating $1B+ in first full year
Programmatic Advertising
Programmatic buying now dominates digital advertising, with algorithm-driven purchasing accounting for the majority of display and video spend.
Programmatic advertising accounts for 81.4% of digital display spend, with algorithm-driven purchasing reaching 71.6% of total digital ad spend by 2026. US programmatic display alone exceeded $180 billion in 2025.
Programmatic share of display
Source: eMarketer
Algorithm-driven spend by 2026
Source: Statista
US programmatic display (2025)
Source: eMarketer
Programmatic TV share (growing)
Source: eMarketer
Programmatic Trends
- Direct deals growing: Private marketplace and programmatic guaranteed now 45% of spend
- CTV programmatic: Connected TV programmatic growing at 35% annually
- First-party data: 60% of advertisers prioritising first-party data solutions
- Contextual targeting: Contextual ad spend growing 25% as cookie alternatives
- Supply path optimisation: SPO reducing intermediary fees by 15-20%
About This Data
These digital advertising spend statistics are compiled from GroupM, eMarketer, MAGNA Global, Statista, AA/WARC, and company earnings reports. Projections are based on the most recent forecasts available as of early 2026.
Important note: Ad spend figures represent projections and estimates. Actual spend may vary based on economic conditions, platform changes, and market dynamics.