The Future of Video in Asia-Pacific: A Shift Towards Streaming,social,and CTV
The video landscape in Asia-Pacific is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Customary television is facing importent headwinds, while connected TV (CTV), streaming platforms, and social video are driving substantial growth. This analysis, based on recent data from Media Partners Asia (MPA), outlines the key trends shaping the region’s video future.
Traditional TV Declines, But Not Uniformly
Over the next five years, traditional television in Asia-Pacific is projected to experience a cumulative revenue decline of $8 billion. This downturn is largely fueled by weakening linear advertising and dwindling pay-TV subscriptions. China, Japan, and India will account for nearly 70% of this contraction, with Australia and Korea contributing over 15% combined.
However, this doesn’t signal the complete demise of traditional TV. The decline is concentrated in specific markets and is being offset by growth in other areas.
CTV: The Engine of Growth
Connected TV is emerging as a pivotal growth driver across the region. Currently, there are close to 160 million CTV households in Asia-Pacific (excluding China), and that number is expected to surge by nearly 100 million by 2030.
Japan, India, south Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Australia currently boast the largest CTV installed bases, demonstrating the widespread adoption of big-screen streaming. This shift is improving engagement, boosting pricing power, and increasing advertising yields.
Market Consolidation and Key Players
The online video market is becoming increasingly concentrated. By 2025, the top 15 platforms are expected to control 58% of total online video revenues.
YouTube, ByteDance’s Douyin and TikTok, and Netflix are leading the charge.Strong national players like JioHotstar (India) and U-Next (Japan) are also carving out significant market share. This competitive landscape is driving innovation and investment in content.
Japan and India: Two Growth Stories
Japan and India are poised to be the largest contributors to incremental video and streaming revenue growth outside of China, but their paths to success differ. Japan’s growth is fueled by higher average revenue per user (ARPU),driven by premium tiers,local content,and exclusive sports rights.
India’s growth remains volume-driven, but is increasingly supported by monetization upgrades, advertising-supported options, projected ARPU increases after 2026, and the expanding adoption of CTV. Both markets represent significant opportunities for video providers.
The Rise of AVOD
Premium Advertising-Supported Video on Demand (AVOD) revenues are projected to grow substantially, from $8 billion in 2025 to over $12 billion by 2030. India, Japan, and Australia are leading this growth, followed by South Korea and Indonesia.
Platforms are strategically raising prices, introducing higher-tier products, and bundling premium sports and local content to attract and retain subscribers. This demonstrates a growing understanding of the value of premium content.
Social Video dominates Advertising Growth
User-generated and social video platforms are capturing the lion’s share of online video advertising growth. Outside of China,YouTube,meta,and ByteDance’s TikTok are the primary beneficiaries of increased ad spend.
Within China, douyin, Kuaishou, and Tencent dominate the market. Furthermore, short-form platforms are evolving, with micro-dramas gaining traction as a measurable revenue category in China and poised for growth in india, Indonesia, Japan, and Thailand.
AI: The New Competitive Advantage
Artificial intelligence (AI) is being integrated across the entire video value chain – from content progress and localization to post-production and marketing. This is reducing unit costs and accelerating production timelines.
MPA notes that this trend will reinforce scale advantages and favor platforms with extensive libraries and diversified monetization strategies. AI is no longer a future prospect; it’s a current driver of efficiency and innovation.
The Key to Success: Value and Monetization
As Vivek Couto, CEO and executive director of Media Partners Asia, succinctly puts it: “Value is shifting decisively toward streaming, social platforms and CTV-led monetisation.”
Markets with scale, pricing power, and strong local content ecosystems will thrive. The ability to monetize premium experiences - anchored by sports, high-quality local programming, emerging formats like micro-dramas, and AI-enabled efficiency – will be the defining
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