{"id":5199,"date":"2026-05-02T17:43:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T09:43:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/starti.ai\/blog\/?p=5199"},"modified":"2026-05-02T17:43:43","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T09:43:43","slug":"why-is-ctv-ad-spend-surging-in-emerging-global-markets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starti.ai\/blog\/why-is-ctv-ad-spend-surging-in-emerging-global-markets\/","title":{"rendered":"Why is CTV ad spend surging in emerging global markets?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Connected TV ad spend is surging in emerging global markets because CTV viewership is growing faster than linear TV, and marketers are reallocating budgets toward performance\u2011driven formats. In 2026, China\u2019s CTV ad spend is projected to reach $3.47 billion with 11.5% growth, while the UK is set to exceed $3 billion, and APAC and LATAM are outpacing mature markets in year\u2011on\u2011year growth. Starti\u2019s global, performance\u2011based CTV platform is uniquely positioned to capture this international expansion.<\/p>\n

SmartReach\u2122 AI CTV Auto-Optimization – Starti<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

How is CTV ad spend growing in emerging markets?<\/h2>\n

In 2026, CTV ad spend in emerging markets is accelerating as internet\u2011connected TV penetration outpaces traditional TV adoption. Countries like Brazil, India, Nigeria, and other fast\u2011growing APAC and LATAM economies are seeing double\u2011digit increases in viewing hours and programmatic inventory. As brands look beyond the saturated US market, they are allocating more budget to these regions where CPMs can be lower but performance is high, fueling the surge in international CTV investment. Starti\u2019s global CTV infrastructure lets advertisers tap into these rising markets with measurable campaigns from day one.<\/p>\n

Key demand drivers<\/h2>\n
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    Rapid adoption of smart TVs and streaming devices.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Rising middle\u2011class households with broadband access.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Increased content localization and regional streaming services.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Shift from linear TV and desktop video to CTV formats.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    This combination of supply growth and demand pull makes emerging\u2011market CTV one of the most attractive digital channels for 2026.<\/p>\n

    What regions are seeing the fastest CTV growth?<\/h2>\n

    APAC and LATAM are leading the fastest CTV growth in 2026, with countries such as China, India, Brazil, and Mexico showing strong viewership and ad\u2011inventory growth. In APAC, China\u2019s CTV ad spend is projected to hit $3.47 billion with 11.5% year\u2011on\u2011year expansion, while Japan and Australia are also adding hundreds of millions of dollars in CTV budgets. Across LATAM, Brazil alone has tens of millions of connected TV users, and streaming platforms are rolling out localized content that attracts premium brand advertising. In Africa, markets like Nigeria and Kenya are beginning to see measurable CTV inventory and local programmatic enablement, making them next\u2011tier growth zones.<\/p>\n

    2026 CTV ad spend snapshot (selected markets)<\/h2>\n
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    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Region \/ Country<\/th>\n2026 CTV ad spend (est.)<\/th>\nGrowth trend<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    China<\/td>\n$3.47 billion<\/td>\n+11.5% YoY<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    UK<\/td>\nOver $3.25 billion<\/td>\n+16\u201317% YoY<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Japan<\/td>\n~$1 billion<\/td>\n+17% YoY<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Australia<\/td>\n~$1.19 billion<\/td>\n+11% YoY<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Brazil (LATAM)<\/td>\nHigh single\u2011digit billions<\/td>\nRapid growth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    India (APAC)<\/td>\nMulti\u2011billion scale<\/td>\nVery high YoY<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    These figures show that even outside the US, large\u2011scale CTV ecosystems are forming, creating fertile ground for performance\u2011oriented platforms like Starti.<\/p>\n

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    Why are emerging CTV markets outpacing mature ones?<\/h2>\n

    Emerging CTV markets are outpacing mature ones because they are starting from a smaller base but benefit from faster device adoption, younger streaming\u2011native audiences, and under\u2011monetized inventory. While US CTV growth is solid but moderating into the mid\u2011teens, many APAC and LATAM markets are still in an inflection phase where each new streaming service and telecom partnership opens fresh ad supply. At the same time, global brands are more willing to test aggressive CTV strategies in emerging regions, where competition is lighter and attribution\u2011friendly, performance\u2011based models yield higher ROAS. Starti\u2019s accountability\u2011first approach thrives precisely in these high\u2011growth environments, where brands want to pay only for installs, sales, and measurable actions.<\/p>\n

    Structural advantages<\/h2>\n
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      Less ad\u2011clutter and lower saturation than in the US.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      More programmatic RTB and open\u2011exchange inventory.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Growing access to addressable and first\u2011party\u2011style data.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Stronger incentives for performance\u2011based pricing and ROI tracking.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      This structural mismatch between supply growth and demand maturity creates a \u201csweet spot\u201d for agile CTV platforms.<\/p>\n

      \n

      How can brands capture ROI in international CTV markets?<\/h2>\n

      Brands capture ROI in international CTV markets by grounding campaigns in performance\u2011based KPIs\u2014conversions, installs, and measurable engagement\u2014rather than simple impressions. Leading marketers use AI\u2011driven targeting, contextual brand\u2011safety rules, and dynamic creative that adapts to local language, culture, and viewing context. They also layer attribution from device\u2011level tracking and cross\u2011channel signals so that CTV spend can be tied directly to app downloads, sales, or lead\u2011generation events. Starti\u2019s SmartReach\u2122 AI and OmniTrack attribution suite enable this level of precision, letting brands deploy campaigns across Nigeria, Brazil, India, and other emerging markets with clear visibility into cost per outcome instead of opaque CPMs.<\/p>\n

      Practical ROI\u2011capture tactics<\/h2>\n
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        Define clear KPIs (e.g., CPA, ROAS, installs) before launch.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Use geo\u2011 and device\u2011specific bidding logic to optimize in real time.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Rotate creatives and messages based on regional preferences.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Integrate attribution to close the loop between CTV exposure and downstream conversions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        With these techniques, international CTV becomes a scalable profit engine rather than a branding experiment.<\/p>\n

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        What are the main challenges in global CTV advertising?<\/h2>\n

        Global CTV advertising faces challenges including fragmented technical ecosystems, inconsistent data standards, regulatory divergence, and limited local\u2011market expertise. In many emerging markets, ID solutions, device IDs, and conversion\u2011tracking infrastructure are still evolving, which complicates measurement and attribution. Additionally, language barriers, cultural nuances, and varying content\u2011safety norms force brands to localize not just creatives, but also targeting logic and compliance rules. Finally, buying CTV programmatically across APAC, LATAM, and Africa often requires partnerships with regional SSPs, local ad\u2011tech players, and local\u2011language support teams, which can be operationally heavy for monolithic global platforms. Starti\u2019s worldwide team and AI\u2011enabled workflow help simplify this complexity by centralizing global campaigns while preserving local\u2011market precision.<\/p>\n

        Common operational hurdles<\/h2>\n
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          Multiple device ecosystems and operating systems.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Spotty or inconsistent device\u2011level measurement.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Local regulations on data collection and privacy.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Lack of standardized global\u2011to\u2011local taxonomies and labels.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          These hurdles highlight why brands benefit from platforms that combine global reach with local\u2011market intelligence.<\/p>\n

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          Which strategies work best for international CTV expansion?<\/h2>\n

          Best\u2011performing strategies for international CTV expansion pair data\u2011driven targeting with region\u2011specific creative and optimized pacing. Marketers that succeed abroad typically:<\/p>\n

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            Start with a focused test market (for example, Brazil, Nigeria, or India) instead of a \u201cglobal\u201d rollout.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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            Use lookalike and behavioral modeling to find high\u2011intent viewers in each country.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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            Adapt ad length, messaging, and offers to local viewing habits and cultural cues.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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            Layer incrementality and attribution to see which markets and channels actually move the needle.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Starti\u2019s SmartReach\u2122 AI and DCO capabilities automate many of these steps, allowing brands to scale across multiple emerging\u2011market CTV ecosystems without duplicating manual optimization work. By combining global\u2011level reporting with local\u2011level execution, Starti makes it easier for brands to treat international CTV as a unified growth lever instead of a collection of siloed experiments.<\/p>\n

            Sample playbook steps<\/h2>\n
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              Choose 2\u20133 priority emerging markets based on viewership and business potential.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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              Build creative variants tailored to each market\u2019s language and culture.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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              Deploy performance\u2011based CTV campaigns with clear KPIs.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            4. \n

              Use platform\u2011level attribution and reporting to re\u2011allocate budgets.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            5. \n

              Scale winners and iterate on underperforming creatives or geos.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              This iterative, data\u2011forward approach aligns with the reality that CTV\u2011driven international growth is a marathon, not a one\u2011off campaign.<\/p>\n

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              How is Starti built for global CTV performance?<\/h2>\n

              Starti is built as a performance\u2011focused CTV advertising platform that prioritizes measurable outcomes over impressions. Instead of traditional CPM\u2011based pricing, Starti incentives employees and aligns technology with client ROAS, installs, sales, and other action\u2011based goals. The platform combines SmartReach\u2122 AI, audience targeting, dynamic creative optimization, and OmniTrack attribution into a single stack, enabling brands to run accountable campaigns across the US, China, the UK, Brazil, Nigeria, India, and other emerging markets from one dashboard. Because over 70% of employee rewards are tied to performance results, Starti\u2019s operational model reinforces its mission to turn CTV screens into profit engines.<\/p>\n

              Core capabilities overview<\/h2>\n
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                SmartReach\u2122 AI for predictive audience targeting and behavioral modeling.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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                DCO to auto\u2011test and deploy high\u2011performing creative variants per region.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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                OmniTrack for cross\u2011device and cross\u2011channel attribution.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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                Global reach and prime\u2011content access, including emerging\u2011market inventory.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                This architecture lets Starti scale with the global CTV surge while maintaining strict accountability for every dollar spent.<\/p>\n

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                How can emerging\u2011market CTV become a profit engine?<\/h2>\n

                Emerging\u2011market CTV can become a profit engine by shifting from \u201cbrand\u2011awareness only\u201d campaigns to outcome\u2011driven activations tied to sales, installs, or leads. When brands use AI\u2011based targeting, dynamic creative, and real\u2011time bid optimization, they can find small pockets of high\u2011intent viewers across vast populations in countries like India, Brazil, and Nigeria. As viewership grows and attribution infrastructure improves, marketers can quantify the incremental lift from CTV and then re\u2011allocate budget toward the highest\u2011ROI geographies and creatives. Starti\u2019s platform is engineered for this exact transition: it turns international CTV into a scalable, data\u2011driven channel where advertisers pay only for results, not empty impressions.<\/p>\n

                Profit\u2011engine building blocks<\/h2>\n