Pixalate Releases Q2 2025 Global CTV Ad Spend and Fraud Trends Report: Open Programmatic Ad Spend at $5.7 Billion, Ad Fraud Remains at 18%

Pixalate's Q2 2025 Global Connected TV (CTV) Ad Supply Chain Trends Report estimates global open programmatic CTV ad spend decreased 3% YoY to $5.7 billion, with invalid traffic (IVT), including ad fraud, at 18%. LATAM had the highest IVT rate at 30%, followed by APAC at 26%, EMEA at 19%, and North America at 18%. Roku devices had the lowest global IVT rate at 12%, while Samsung Smart TV had the highest at 39%.

Political advertising is set to reach new heights in the 2026 midterm elections, with projected spending of $10.8 billion, according to AdImpact. This represents a 22% increase from the 2022 midterms, which saw $8.9 billion in political ad spend, and a 4% decrease from the 2024 presidential election season, which was estimated at $11.2 billion [1].

Broadcast TV is expected to maintain its dominant share of political ad spend, accounting for 49% of the total, or $5.28 billion. This is a slight decrease from the $5.36 billion seen in the 2024 political year. All other media platforms are projected to see a decline in political ad spend compared to 2024, with the exception of connected TV, which is expected to climb to $2.48 billion from $2.34 billion. Digital media is projected to slip to $1.43 billion, down from $1.7 billion, while cable TV is expected to drop to $1.29 billion from $1.37 billion, and radio is projected to fall to $280 million from $330 million. Satellite ad spend is expected to decrease to $80 million from $90 million [1].

Spending on U.S. Senate campaigns in 2026 is projected to rise slightly compared to 2024, to $2.8 billion. The U.S. House of Representatives races are expected to climb 27% to $2.2 billion, marking the first time these races will top the $2 billion mark. Even so-called "off-year" political spending is improving, with ad spend through August 26, 2025, already 38% higher than the same period in 2023, and 58% higher than 2021 [1].

Roku's Strong Position in the Streaming Market

Roku Inc. (NASDAQ: ROKU) is expected to have a strong 12-18 months ahead, driven by its growth in TV streaming platform services beyond its initial focus on Roku streaming sticks. The company has diversified its business and is well-positioned for future success. In July 2025, streaming on Roku-powered devices accounted for 21.4% of all U.S. TV viewing time, surpassing broadcast television's 18.4% share for the third consecutive month. Roku's impressive 17.32% revenue growth over the last twelve months is a testament to its strong market position [2].

Roku's share of TV viewing has grown 14% year-over-year throughout 2025, highlighting the ongoing shift from traditional broadcast to streaming services. The company's strong market position is reflected in its stock performance, with a 28.95% year-to-date return and robust financial health indicators, including a healthy current ratio of 2.85. Roku remains the dominant streaming platform in the United States, powering devices in over half of all internet-enabled households in the country. It is also the top-selling TV operating system in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico [2].

Global Connected TV (CTV) Ad Supply Chain Trends

Pixalate's Q2 2025 Global Connected TV (CTV) Ad Supply Chain Trends Report estimates global open programmatic CTV ad spend decreased 3% YoY to $5.7 billion, with invalid traffic (IVT), including ad fraud, at 18%. LATAM had the highest IVT rate at 30%, followed by APAC at 26%, EMEA at 19%, and North America at 18%. Roku devices had the lowest global IVT rate at 12%, while Samsung Smart TV had the highest at 39% [3].

References

[1] https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/408630/2026-midterm-political-tv-ad-spend-up-22-to-108.html
[2] https://www.ainvest.com/news/roku-transformation-sets-stage-future-growth-2509/
[3] https://www.pixalate.com/reports/ctv-ad-supply-chain-trends-report-q2-2025/