YouTube Overtakes Disney as World’s Largest Media Company
The video-sharing platform YouTube has surpassed The Walt Disney Company to grow the world’s largest media company, marking a significant shift in the entertainment landscape. This milestone, confirmed by financial research firm MoffettNathanson, highlights YouTube’s growing dominance in both advertising revenue and overall market value.
Revenue and Market Value
In 2025, YouTube generated $62 billion in revenue, exceeding Disney’s $60.9 billion. The Hollywood Reporter notes this achievement positions YouTube as not only the largest video platform but also the largest media company globally by advertising revenue. MoffettNathanson values YouTube between $500 billion and $560 billion, significantly higher than Netflix’s market capitalization of approximately $409 billion. 9to5Google confirms these figures.
Advertising Revenue Growth
YouTube’s advertising revenue reached $40.4 billion in 2025, surpassing the combined $37.8 billion generated by Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount Global, and Warner Bros. Discovery. AOL reports this represents a substantial increase from the $36.1 billion earned in 2024, when the combined revenue of those traditional media companies totaled $41.8 billion.
Revenue Distribution and Creator Payments
YouTube’s business model includes a revenue-sharing system with creators, who receive 55% of the ad revenue from standard videos. Between 2021 and 2025, YouTube has distributed over $100 billion to creators, music companies, and media partners. The Hollywood Reporter highlights this significant investment in the entertainment ecosystem.
Expanding Beyond Advertising
Although advertising remains a crucial component of YouTube’s revenue, the platform is also experiencing growth in its subscription services. These include YouTube Premium, YouTube Music, NFL Sunday Ticket, and YouTube TV, which currently has around 10 million subscribers. The Hollywood Reporter predicts YouTube TV will overtake traditional pay-TV leaders like Charter and Comcast in the coming years.
Television Viewership and Subscriber Base
According to Nielsen data, YouTube had more viewers on U.S. Televisions in January than Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount, and Warner Bros. Discovery combined, capturing a 12.5% share of the television audience. AOL reports that Netflix, with 8.8% of the audience, was the only streaming service approaching YouTube’s viewership.
Future Outlook and AI Integration
MoffettNathanson analysts believe YouTube is uniquely positioned to thrive in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). The platform’s global scale and innovative offerings create a competitive advantage, and it is expected to benefit from the increasing volume of AI-generated content. MarketWatch suggests YouTube will be a major beneficiary of both the structural tailwinds and headwinds facing technology and media companies.