What drove The Trade Desk's operating expenses surge in 2023?

The Trade Desk's operating expenses surged in 2023 due to several key factors:

1. **Increase in Platform Operations Expenses**: Platform operations expenses jumped by 33.2% year-over-year to $93.4 million. This increase was primarily driven by the expansion of the company's platform and the need to support its growing customer base and operational requirements.
2. **Sales & Marketing Expenses**: Sales and marketing expenses rose by 32.3% year-over-year to $112.5 million. This increase was likely a result of the company's strategic investments in marketing and sales activities to expand its customer reach and promote its Unified ID 2.0 platform.
3. **General & Administrative Costs**: General and administrative costs also contributed to the overall increase in operating expenses. While the exact figures are not provided, the company's expansion and the need to manage a growing workforce would have naturally led to higher administrative expenses.

In summary, The Trade Desk's operating expenses surge in 2023 was primarily driven by significant increases in Platform operations expenses, Sales & Marketing expenses, and General & Administrative costs, reflecting the company's strategic investments to support its growth and operational expansion.