According to Digital TV Research, the worldwide number of paying OTT subscription VOD (SVOD) subscriptions will increase by 409 million between 2017 and 2023 to a total of 777 million. Eleven countries are expected to have more than 10 million SVOD subscriptions by 2023.
China and the United States are together expected to account for more than half the world's SVOD subscriptions by 2023. China is expected to have the most SVOD subs from 2019, despite multiple subscriptions being commonplace in the United States. China is expected to have 235 million SVOD subscribers by 2023, up from 97 million in 2017.
Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: "The U.S. will have 208 million SVOD subscriptions by 2023, up by an impressive 76 million on 2017, despite its relative maturity. Its share of the global market will fall from 36% in 2017 to 27% by 2023."
By 2023, Netflix is expected to contribute 192 million (25% of the forecast 777 million) subscriptions, Amazon Prime Video 120 million (15%), and China 235 million (30% - Neither Netflix or Amazon Prime Video operate in China) and 230 million "others" (30%). Netflix is expected to add 82 million subs between 2017 and 2023.
Amazon Prime Video launched in 200 countries in late 2016 - like Netflix, not in China. Digital TV Research forecasts 120 million Amazon Prime Video subscribers by 2023, double the 2017 total. However, 110 million of the 2023 total are expected to be in Amazon Prime territories, and therefore will not directly pay for the video platform.