Global SVOD Subs to Reach 1.5 Billion by 2026

The number of SVOD subscriptions for 138 countries is forecast to increase by 591 million between 2020 and 2026, reaching 1.495 million, according to Digital TV Research.

This reflects an increase of 65 percent. The peak year was 2020, when 201 million subscriptions were added. This year, the total will cross the 1 billion mark.

The U.S. will overtake China as the subscription leader in 2021. China and the U.S. together will account for nearly half (48 percent) of the global total by 2026, down from 59 percent in 2020. SVOD subscriptions in India will nearly triple between 2020 and 2026 to 155 million, representing 10 percent of the world’s total.

SVOD subscription growth is faster than for SVOD subscribers [an SVOD subscriber pays for at least one SVOD subscription]. This means that the average SVOD subscriber will pay for 2.14 SVOD subscriptions by 2026, up from 1.74 in 2020.

Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “There will be 700 million SVOD subscribers by 2026; up by 35 percent from 518 million at end-2020. The 2026 total represents 39 percent of TV households, increasing from 30 percent in 2020.”