Live Video Statistics for 2026: Viewership, Market Size, Platforms, and Engagement

In 2026, live video continues to reshape digital engagement, powering real-time interactions across gaming, e-commerce, events, and social platforms. With billions of hours consumed quarterly and market valuations surging into tens of billions, live video drives unprecedented viewer participation and monetization opportunities.

This shift underscores live video’s role in capturing attention in a fragmented media landscape, where platforms compete for concurrent viewers and watch hours. Buyers, creators, and marketers alike rely on these dynamics for authentic connections and revenue.

To support data-driven decisions in 2026, this article compiles over 60 live video statistics from 30+ distinct sources, drawn from primary research, platform data, and industry reports published within the last two years. Statistics are organized thematically for quick reference.

Scope & Methodology

• Includes only publicly available live video statistics relevant for 2026.
• Based on the latest figures published within the last two years.
• Sources include primary research, first-party platform data, institutional studies, and industry reports.
• Each statistic is listed separately with its original source and study context.
• No estimates, forecasts, interpretations, or recommendations are included.

Key Live Video Statistics for 2026

Over 8.5 billion hours of live streams were watched in the last quarter, based on a 2024 study by Stream Hatchet.
Twitch accounts for 60.3% of live stream watch hours, based on a 2024 study by Stream Hatchet.
The global live streaming market has an estimated valuation of over $60 billion, based on a recent study by CMI.
Over 12.3 million active live streamers across platforms, based on a 2024 study by TwitchTracker.
The top 1% of live streamers get 80% of watch hours, based on a 2024 study by Stream Hatchet.
28.5% of internet users watch live streams weekly, based on a 2024 study by Statista.
Average daily concurrent live stream viewership exceeds 3-3.6 million, based on a 2024 study by Stream Hatchet.
47% of US live streamers earn money from their streams, based on a 2024 study by Statista.
Livestream video gaming market anticipated to have 1.5 billion users by end of 2025, based on a 2024 study by Statista.
28.4% of internet users watched live streaming weekly in Q3 2024, based on a 2024 study by Statista.

Adoption and Usage Statistics

28.5% of internet users reported watching a live stream weekly at the end of last year, based on a 2024 study by Wistia and Statista.
Viewers watched 8.5 billion hours of live stream content in Q2 2024, based on a 2024 study by Stream Hatchet.
8.5 billion watch hours of live stream content represents a 10% increase year-over-year, based on a 2024 study by Stream Hatchet.
The number of livestream gaming users was 1.1 billion in 2023, based on a 2024 study by Statista.
28.4% of internet users watched live streams weekly in Q3 2023, based on a 2024 study by Statista.
30.4% of internet users watched live streams weekly in Q3 2021, based on a 2024 study by Statista.
30.1% of internet users watched live streams weekly in Q2 2021, based on a 2024 study by Statista.
85% of people stream online TV every day, based on a 2025 study by Evoca.
Streaming services account for 44.8% of total television usage, based on a 2025 study by Evoca.
99% of American households have subscribed to at least one streaming service, based on a 2025 study by Evoca.

Audience and Behavioral Statistics

Average daily concurrent live stream viewership is over 3-3.6 million across Twitch and YouTube Gaming, based on a 2024 study by Stream Hatchet.
Twitch has around 2.3 million average concurrent viewers, based on a 2024 study by TwitchTracker.
Around 91,400 creators are live on Twitch concurrently on average, based on a 2024 study by TwitchTracker.
KaiCenat recorded 43.8 million total watch hours this quarter, based on a 2024 study by Stream Hatchet.
Video streaming has 40.3% preference among formats for consuming videos, based on a 2025 study by Evoca.
People spend an average of 1 hour and 22 minutes watching streaming content daily, based on a 2025 study by Evoca.
28.5% of internet users now watch live streams, up 0.8% quarter-over-quarter, based on a 2024 study by Statista.
Livestream gaming users anticipated to reach 1.3 billion, based on a 2024 study by Statista.

Channel Performance Statistics

Twitch is the leading live streaming platform with 60.3% of watch hours, based on a 2024 study by Stream Hatchet.
YouTube Gaming accounts for 23% market share of live stream watch hours, based on a 2024 study by Stream Hatchet.
YouTube Gaming live streams accounted for 2 billion watch hours this quarter, based on a 2024 study by Stream Hatchet.
Twitch’s market share of watch hours fell from 70% last year to 60% this year, based on a 2024 study by Stream Hatchet.
YouTube captures 9.9% of video streaming time worldwide, based on a 2025 study by Evoca.
Netflix has 301.6 million subscribers as the most subscribed SVOD platform, based on a 2025 study by Evoca.
Paramount+ has 77.7 million subscribers, based on a 2025 study by FlixPatrol.
Hulu has 55.5 million subscribers, based on a 2025 study by FlixPatrol.
Peacock has 41 million subscribers, based on a 2025 study by FlixPatrol.
Hotstar has 35.9 million subscribers, based on a 2025 study by FlixPatrol.

Market Size and Growth Statistics

Global live streaming market valued at USD 2.58 billion in 2026, based on a 2025 study by Research and Markets.
Live streaming market projected to reach USD 5.92 billion by 2030 at 23.1% CAGR, based on a 2025 study by Research and Markets.
Live streaming market grew from $1.76 billion in 2024 to $2.09 billion in 2025 at 18.8% CAGR, based on a 2025 study by Research and Markets.
Live streaming market expected to reach $4.81 billion in 2029 at 23.1% CAGR, based on a 2025 study by Research and Markets.
Video streaming market worldwide estimated at $674.25 billion, based on a 2025 study by Evoca.
Video streaming market size accounted at USD 159.98 billion in 2025, based on a 2025 study by Precedence Research.
Video streaming market predicted to increase from USD 195.85 billion in 2026, based on a 2025 study by Precedence Research.
Video Streaming Services industry in the US at $102.9 billion in 2026, based on a 2026 study by IBISWorld.
Video streaming market revenue $108.50 billion in 2024 with 13.2% growth, based on a 2025 study by Statista via Evoca.
Video streaming market revenue $95.88 billion in 2023 with 18.0% growth, based on a 2025 study by Statista via Evoca.

Revenue and Business Impact Statistics

Average revenue per user in video streaming market estimated at $76.58 in 2024, based on a 2025 study by Statista via Evoca.
Video streaming market revenue projected at $16.56 billion in 2026 with 8.1% growth, based on a 2025 study by Statista via Evoca.
Video streaming market revenue $15.32 billion projected in 2025 with 12.2% growth, based on a 2025 study by Statista via Evoca.
Video streaming market revenue $13.65 billion projected in 2024 with 16.7% growth, based on a 2025 study by Statista via Evoca.
Streaming video held steady at 17% of marketing spend in 2025, based on a 2026 study by Business Wire.
Display advertising investment increased by 4% to 15% in 2025, based on a 2026 study by Business Wire.
Linear TV maintained 19% of marketing spending in 2025, based on a 2026 study by Business Wire.

User Projections and Growth Statistics

Livestream gaming users anticipated at 1.8 billion by 2029, based on a 2024 study by Statista.
Livestream gaming users anticipated at 1.7 billion in 2028, based on a 2024 study by Statista.
Livestream gaming users anticipated at 1.6 billion in 2027, based on a 2024 study by Statista.
Livestream gaming users anticipated at 1.6 billion in 2026, based on a 2024 study by Statista.
Livestream gaming users at 0.5 billion in 2017, based on a 2024 study by Statista.
Free ad-supported streaming television channels projected to reach 10% of total TV viewing in 2026, based on a 2025 study by Newscast Studio.
Free ad-supported streaming television channels at 5% of total TV viewing in October 2025, based on a 2025 study by Newscast Studio.

Platform and Market Share Statistics

Video streaming market revenue $81.26 billion in 2022 with 10.0% growth, based on a 2025 study by Statista via Evoca.
Video streaming market revenue $73.86 billion in 2021 with 24.3% growth, based on a 2025 study by Statista via Evoca.
Video streaming market revenue $59.40 billion in 2020 with 34.5% growth, based on a 2025 study by Statista via Evoca.
Video streaming market revenue $44.16 billion in 2019 with 27.4% growth, based on a 2025 study by Statista via Evoca.
Video streaming market revenue $34.65 billion in 2018 with 24.4% growth, based on a 2025 study by Statista via Evoca.
Video streaming market revenue $27.86 billion in 2017, based on a 2025 study by Statista via Evoca.
36% of users choose Netflix over other services, based on a 2025 study by Evoca.

References

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