Streaming Wars: 1 Netflix Rival Dominating the Industry
Yahoo Finance·2026-02-15 16:20

Core Insights - In 2025, Netflix reported $45 billion in revenue, a 16% increase year over year, with 325 million subscribers across over 190 countries, highlighting its role in pioneering video entertainment [1] - YouTube, however, is emerging as a dominant player in the industry, surpassing Netflix in revenue and engagement metrics [4][7] Company Performance - YouTube generated over $60 billion in revenue in 2025, with approximately $40 billion from ads and the remainder from subscriptions, making it 33% larger than Netflix in terms of sales [4] - YouTube Music Premium is experiencing strong growth, competing directly with Spotify and Apple Music, while NFL Sunday Ticket is also contributing to subscription growth [5] Market Position - YouTube has maintained its position as the No. 1 streaming platform in the U.S. for nearly three years, capturing 12.7% of TV viewing time compared to Netflix's 9% [7] - The platform benefits from a powerful network effect, increasing its value as it grows, which enhances engagement and monetization opportunities for content creators [8]