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- Which CTV platforms attract the most ad spend and placements
- How mergers may change audience targeting and platform dynamics
- Top measurement and budget challenges for advertisers on CTV
- Pricing pressure, CPM trends, and advertiser leverage
- Platform-specific risks: brand safety and content transparency
- How advertisers are adapting their tactics for a changing CTV ecosystem
Ad-supported streaming remains the central battleground for marketers as they wrestle with measurement gaps, fluctuating ad prices, and a wave of industry consolidation that could change where and how brands spend. New survey findings and executive interviews reveal which platforms command the most ad placements and budgets, and how looming mergers may simplify or complicate advertiser strategies.
Which CTV platforms attract the most ad spend and placements
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The latest data shows a familiar leader in the ad-supported CTV market. Advertisers still favor a handful of big services when placing ads and allocating budget.
- YouTube leads in both placement and spend. Three out of four surveyed marketers place ads there, and roughly half say YouTube took the largest slice of their 2025 ad budgets.
- Prime Video (ad tier) ranks second for placements, used by nearly half of respondents, and captured the second-largest budget share last year.
- Hulu and Paramount+ sit near the top for placements, each used by close to 43% of advertisers.
These platform rankings mirror where marketers actually allocate dollars. But experts warn that the list could shift as streaming services pursue new combinations and bundles.
How mergers may change audience targeting and platform dynamics
Major consolidation plans are underway. Disney plans to fold Hulu into Disney+ by late 2026. Paramount aims to merge Paramount+ with Max after its Skydance deal clears regulators.
Industry leaders say consolidation could simplify audience targeting. With fewer distinct platforms, advertisers could rely on broader, unified signals to reach viewers. That may make campaign planning easier.
Why device owners matter
Smaller players, such as Roku and device manufacturers, still hold a strategic advantage. They can reach viewers across multiple apps and operating systems. That cross-platform reach gives them leverage when competing with merged streaming services.
At the same time, some executives caution against equating consolidation with perfection. One platform executive compared a potential “mega-bundle” to a return of the old cable landscape, warning that bigger bundles could recreate legacy problems.
Top measurement and budget challenges for advertisers on CTV
Marketers continue to report three core pain points across ad-supported streaming platforms.
- Lack of reliable measurement.
- High or unpredictable media cost.
- Insufficient budget for emerging channels.
The rise of ad tiers across many streamers has increased fragmentation. Many publishers operate as walled gardens. They limit data access and use encryption, which complicates cross-platform measurement.
But the landscape is shifting toward better data collaboration. Partnerships between streaming platforms and retail media networks are creating more actionable datasets. That helps marketers link ad exposure to real business results.
- Retail media partnerships enable clearer attribution loops.
- Clean-room solutions from major tech players are gaining traction.
- Some streamers offer conversion tools to deliver deterministic signals.
Agencies report tests with new tools. Trials include conversion APIs with major streamers and clean-room integrations with cloud providers. These efforts aim to make CTV measurement more deterministic and tied to purchase events.
Pricing pressure, CPM trends, and advertiser leverage
With so many ad-supported options, advertisers have pushed down CPMs in recent years. That created short-term benefits for buyers. But many expect prices to stabilize as platforms consolidate.
Analysts predict a bottoming-out of the steep CPM swings seen recently. As top players combine, the market could see less destructive price competition and more predictable rates.
Industry voices stress a changing advertiser priority. Marketers are moving from simply chasing low impression costs to demanding that spend drives measurable business lift. Efficiency and ROI are becoming the main metrics.
Platform-specific risks: brand safety and content transparency
Not all CTV environments present the same challenges. Survey responses highlight different concerns by platform.
- YouTube: Concern centers on brand safety because of user-generated content.
- Disney+ (ad tier) and Hulu: Marketers report worries about limited transparency into the inventory and context.
- The Roku Channel and Prime Video (ad tier): Advertisers cite similar transparency issues on these platforms.
For many marketers, transparency is less a pure safety issue and more a question of content fit. Brands thinking beyond awareness want context that amplifies their message and aligns with brand values.
Leading marketers also note CTV’s ability to build credibility. Ads that appear alongside premium shows often lend trust and prestige to advertised brands. This perceived quality remains an important reason advertisers value connected TV.
How advertisers are adapting their tactics for a changing CTV ecosystem
Agencies and brands are experimenting with new workflows to navigate fragmentation and privacy constraints. Key approaches include:
- Leveraging clean-room partnerships to match exposure to outcomes.
- Testing conversion APIs and server-to-server integrations.
- Working with device-level partners to reach audiences across apps.
- Prioritizing cross-platform measurement to prove business lift.
As platforms evolve, advertisers say agility matters. They are placing bets on tools and partners that can connect ad impressions to purchase behavior while protecting privacy.
