Creator economy seen topping $747 billion by 2030

The Business Research Company projects the creator economy will surge to more than $747 billion by 2030, with North America and the U.S. leading growth. The report says video streaming will remain the biggest segment as brands, platforms and creators lean harder into AI tools and direct-to-fan monetization.

Why it matters: - The creator economy is moving from a niche digital business into a major slice of media revenue. - The market is projected to exceed $747 billion by 2030, or nearly one-fifth of the wider media market. - That scale suggests creator-led content, advertising and subscriptions will shape how media is produced and monetized over the next several years.

What happened: - The Business Research Company released its Creator Economy Market Trends Global Market Report 2026, covering market size, trends and forecasts for 2026-2035. - The report says North America will be the largest regional market in 2030 at $264 billion. - The U.S. is expected to be the largest country market at $235 billion in 2030. - Video streaming platforms are forecast to be the biggest platform segment, with a 54% share and about $407 billion in value by 2030. - The report points to YouTube as the 2025 market leader, with a 2% share of global sales.

The details: - North America is forecast to grow from $91 billion in 2025 to $264 billion in 2030, a 24% compound annual growth rate. - The U.S. is projected to grow from $80 billion in 2025 to $235 billion in 2030, also at 24% CAGR. - Video streaming growth is being supported by short- and long-form video consumption, advertising and subscription revenue, live streaming, interactive features, brand demand for video collaborations, and AI-driven recommendations and monetization tools. - The creator economy’s revenue streams include advertising and sponsorships, subscriptions and memberships, fan donations, merchandise sales and affiliate marketing. - Monetization models also include tipping and other emerging formats. - The market serves individual creators, enterprises and brands, agencies, and talent management firms. - The report says the top growth driver is consumer demand for personalized and authentic content. - The report estimates personalized content contributes about 1.5% annual growth to the market. - Social media and digital platform expansion is adding about 1.0% annual growth. - Direct-to-fan monetization is contributing about 0.8% annual growth. - The greatest platform opportunities through 2030 are in video streaming, podcasting, blogging and other categories, which are expected to generate more than $492 billion combined. - Between 2025 and 2030, video streaming is projected to grow by $287 billion, podcasting by $78 billion, blogging by $32 billion and other platforms by $95 billion. - The top 10 companies captured only 8% of total revenue in 2025, underscoring a fragmented market. - The report says low barriers to entry, affordable creation tools, easy publishing and social network effects are helping keep the market open.

Between the lines: - The forecast points to a market where distribution is still concentrated in a few major platforms, but monetization is becoming more diversified. - The rise of AI tools, analytics and automation suggests creator businesses are becoming more operationally sophisticated, not just more prolific. - The launch of Syracuse University Center for the Creator Economy in September 2025 is a sign that creator-focused training and professionalization are expanding beyond the platform layer. - Brand spending is likely to keep moving toward creator partnerships as audiences continue to reward content that feels personal and credible.

What's next: - Platforms are expected to keep adding AI-powered creation, engagement and monetization tools. - Brands and creators are likely to deepen partnerships around video, subscriptions and community-based revenue models. - The report suggests the strongest growth should continue to come from platforms that combine content creation, distribution and payments in one ecosystem. - Request a free sample of the report - Access the full creator economy market report

The bottom line: - The creator economy is on track to become a much larger and more important part of global media, with video, AI and direct monetization driving the next phase of growth.