Live Streaming Statistics By Platforms, Viewers and Facts (2026)

Introduction

Live streaming has become a major part of how people use the internet worldwide. Around 28.5% of internet users watch live streams every week, showing that real-time video is now a regular habit, not a niche activity. The industry is also expanding fast, with the global live streaming market projected to reach USD 345.13 billion by 2030. This report reviews the key 2026 metrics behind that growth, including how viewers behave, which platforms they choose, what devices they use, and where demand is rising most by region.

It also highlights how live video is moving beyond entertainment and into practical use cases such as marketing, internal business updates, customer support, and social media engagement. Major platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook continue to shape the market, but shifting user needs and better mobile access are changing how live content is discovered and consumed. Overall, the 2026 data indicates live streaming is reshaping digital viewing by making content more immediate, interactive, and community-driven.

Editor’s Choice

1. Around 28.5% of internet users watch live streams every week.
2. In the latest quarter, viewers watched about 8.5B hours of live content, up 10% year over year.
3. Live streaming demand keeps rising; Q1 2024 viewership was 128% higher than Q1 2019 and 61% higher than Q1 2020.
4. The global live streaming market is estimated at USD 99.82 billion.
5. Mobile viewing is significant, about 27% of live streams are watched on phones.
6. Twitch leads the space, accounting for 60.3% of total watch hours.
7. There are an estimated 12.3 million active live streamers across platforms.
8. Viewing is highly uneven; the top 1% of streamers capture about 80% of watch hours.
9. A standout example; Kai Cenat recorded about 43.8 million watch hours in the quarter.
10. Earning potential is real; about 47% of U.S. live streamers report making money from streaming.

Live Streaming Market Growth

• The global live streaming market is set to grow quickly from 2024 to 2030.
• The market is expected to rise at a 23% CAGR during 2024–2030.
• The market size was about USD 87.55 billion in 2023.
• In 2024, the market is estimated to reach USD 99.82 billion.
• By 2030, the market is projected to grow to USD 345.13 billion.
• This strong growth suggests more new tools, better streaming quality, and more business use of live video, which will likely increase how people connect and engage online.
  

Live Streaming Compared With Other Video Formats

• According to Statista, live-stream video was the third most consumed online video format on a weekly basis in Q2 2025, reaching 26.8% of respondents each week.
• The live streams delivered slightly higher weekly reach than product reviews (26.0%) and tutorials/how-to videos (25.2%), which indicates comparatively strong recurring engagement versus several “reference-style” formats.
• The weekly reach by video category in Q2 2025 was:

(Source: DemandSage)

• The weekly live-stream viewing peaked at 30.4% in Q4 2021 and then eased to the high-20% range by 2023 to 2024, ending at 28.5% in Q4 2024. 
• The share of internet users who watched live streams weekly changed as follows:

Live Streaming vs Other Video Formats (Weekly Reach)

• The live-stream video ranked third among weekly online video formats in Q2 2025, with 26.8% weekly reach. 
• The live streams reached more weekly viewers than tutorials/how-to content and product review videos, suggesting stronger engagement than many “evergreen” formats. 
• According to Statista, weekly reach by video format in Q2 2025 was:

Live-Stream Viewing Time By Region

• The average viewer spends 25.4 minutes watching live video in a single viewing session.
• Live video typically holds attention longer than many other video formats.
• The most viewers continue watching live streams for close to 30 minutes per session.
• According to DemandSage, global live-stream viewing time increased by 14% in 2022.

(Source: DemandSage)

• Asia and Latin America recorded the strongest growth in live-stream viewing time in 2022.
• According to DemandSage, the increase in live-stream viewing time by region in 2022 was as follows:

Live Video Engagement and Top Live-Stream Content in the US

• Live video typically keeps viewers watching much longer than on-demand video.
• Viewers spend about 8 times more time watching live video compared with on-demand content.
• In some usage comparisons, viewers spend around 10 times to 20 times longer watching live video than on-demand video, which supports live streaming as a strong format for real-time, interactive experiences.
• In the United States, 34% of monthly live-stream viewers said breaking news was their most preferred type of live stream.
• In the United States, sports games/matches ranked second, preferred by 29% of live-stream viewers.
• In the United States, comedy ranked close behind, preferred by 28% of live-stream viewers.

Table displaying the most popular categories of the live stream videos viewed in the United States:

Live-Stream Viewing Devices, Engagement, and Willingness to Pay

• Many live-stream viewers split their viewing across multiple devices, and 40% of live-stream viewers use mobile phones and computers to watch live content.
• In the United States, younger adults show strong preference for big-screen viewing, and 60% of younger adults watch live streams on television sets.
• Live streaming can influence repeat attendance, and 67% of viewers who watched a live-streamed event later bought a ticket for the next time that event took place.
• Live streams typically generate stronger audience interaction, and live content receives about 10% more engagement than pre-recorded video.
• According to Datareportal, 3 in 10 survey respondents said their main reason for using social media is to watch live streams.
• Live streaming is a common weekly habit among online audiences, and 30.4% of users aged 16 to 64 watch at least one live stream every week.
• Paid live-stream content has clear demand, and 45% of users say they are willing to pay to watch live streams featuring their favorite speakers and teams.
• If pricing is discussed in your report, you can express it in USD (for example, “USD 5 per stream”), but the figures above are reported as percentages and do not include pricing values.

Live-Streaming Platforms and Twitch Audience Profile

• In Q1 2024, Twitch creators streamed around 249 million hours of live content for new game titles, along with about 3.3 billion hours of live content for other gaming categories.
• In Q1 2024, YouTube ranked as the second-largest platform in this comparison, with roughly 41.5 million hours of live streams for new game titles and around 922 million hours for other gaming content.
• In Q1 2024, Steam placed third, with about 30.5 million live streams for new game content and an additional 47.4 million live streams for other games on the platform.
• Across all platforms combined, viewers watched approximately 7.6 billion hours of live content during the quarter.
• Twitch remained the top platform for live-stream viewership during this period.
• Twitch accounted for about 53% of the esports audience in the quarter, while YouTube Gaming captured around 40%.
• Other platforms collectively made up the remaining 7%, including services such as Facebook, AfreecaTV, Kick, and others.
• This shift in platform viewing contributed to an additional 12 million hours watched during the quarter.
• YouTube was reported as the most preferred live-streaming platform worldwide, with 52% of live-stream viewers choosing it for live content.
• Facebook ranked second, preferred by 42.6% of the live-streaming audience.
• Instagram and TikTok followed, with 33.4% of the live-streaming audience preferring them.
• About 22.7% of social media users watch live content, which equals roughly 1.17 billion social media users worldwide.
• Twitch is also among the largest live-streaming platforms by daily activity, with approximately 31 million daily active users.
• Twitch viewers watch at least 71 million hours of content per day.
• Twitch hosts about 7 million creators who stream each month.
• Twitch’s audience is concentrated among adults aged 20 to 39, based on the following age split:

• Twitch’s gender split is reported at 63% male users and 37% female users.

What Viewers Want From a High-Quality Live Stream

• Live-stream audiences have different interests, but they generally agree on a few basic expectations that determine whether they stay or leave.
• For business owners and streamers, these insights help clarify what viewers consider “non-negotiable” during a live broadcast.
• 67% of viewers say video quality is the most important factor when watching a live stream.
• 50% of viewers leave a live stream within 90 seconds or less if the video output looks poor or low quality.
• Viewers also drop off when a stream starts late, and data indicates that every 6-second delay in starting can lead to a 6% increase in viewer drop-off.
• Viewers commonly look for the following qualities in a live stream:
  • The video looks clear and stable.
  • The audio is loud enough and easy to understand.
  • The lighting is good enough to see the subject clearly.
  • The streamer interacts well with the audience.
  • The content is useful, entertaining, or relevant.

• 85% of users say they want to see more videos from brands and businesses they already like.

How Businesses and Marketers Benefit From Live Streaming

• Live streaming is increasingly used as a practical tool for brand communication because many consumers find live content easier to engage with than text-based updates.
• 80% of people say they would rather watch a live stream than read a blog post.
• 82% of consumers say they prefer engaging with a brand through a live stream instead of standard social media posts.
• Among marketers, live video is now a common promotional format, and 35% of marketers use live video to market their products.
• Live-video adoption is expanding quickly, and this usage is reported to be increasing by about 20% year over year.
• Marketing budgets are shifting toward live content, and 28% of marketers say they are increasing their investment in live streaming.
• Live video is also widely used for internal and corporate communication, and 55% of companies use live video for business presentations.
• Brand audiences continue to favor live updates, and 82% of consumers prefer live streams when brands share updates on social platforms.
• Demand for more brand-made video remains strong, and 54% of consumers say they want to see more video content from brands they like.
• Live streams also influence shopping decisions, and 75% or more millennials say live streaming helps them compare products while shopping online.

Gaming and eSports Live Streaming Market

• The live-stream gaming market is estimated to be worth USD 13.65 billion.
• China is expected to be a major contributor to this market, adding roughly USD 2.58 billion in value.
• The global live-stream gaming market is projected to grow at a 8.41% CAGR from 2024 to 2027.
• By 2027, the market is forecast to reach approximately USD 17.39 billion.
• By 2027, the number of people who watch or participate in live-stream gaming is expected to increase to around 1.6 billion, indicating continued growth in mainstream adoption.

Live Commerce Adoption and Shopper Motivations

• Live commerce (shopping during a live stream) is gaining the strongest traction in Asia-Pacific, where 17% of online shoppers take part in live commerce sales.
• The United Arab Emirates is a close follower, with 16% of online shoppers participating in live commerce.
• The United States shows moderate adoption, with 14% of online shoppers engaging in live-stream shopping.
• Adoption is lower in Latin America and Europe, where 8% and 5% of online shoppers participate, respectively.
• Regional participation in live commerce is reported as:

• China’s live commerce market is projected to reach 4.9 trillion yuan.
• TikTok live commerce in Southeast Asia is expected to generate USD 20 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV).
• Live commerce GMV in Southeast Asia is reported to be growing at an extremely fast pace, at roughly 30% per month on a compound basis.

United States Live-Stream Shopping Drivers

• Consumers in the United States spent about USD 17 billion on live-stream shopping in 2022.
• Among US shoppers, 39.7% say they shop online mainly because they can get better deals.
• In addition, 38.2% say they shop online because it helps them discover new products.
• Live-stream shopping also benefits from the “event-like” experience, and 30.7% of US live-stream shoppers say they buy during live streams because the experience feels more exciting.
• The leading reasons US consumers shop on live streams are reported as:

US Live-Streaming Audience and Platform Preferences

• This section summarizes how people in the United States watch live streams and which platforms US gamers prefer, which can help businesses and marketers plan targeting and media spend.
• According to Statista, the United States has about 158.2 million live-stream viewers, and this figure is projected to reach 164.6 million by 2026.
• 42% of people in the United States have watched live-stream content, which indicates that live streaming reaches close to half of the population.
• The latest estimate cited in your data shows 163 million live video viewers in the United States.
• This cited figure represents a 2.1% year-over-year increase compared with 160 million viewers recorded in 2022.
• As an analyst note, the 158.2 million and 163 million figures can both be valid if they come from different sources, measurement windows, or definitions of “live-stream viewers.”

Most Popular Live-Streaming Platforms in the US for Gamers

• According to DemandSage, Twitch is the top platform for live gaming in the United States, with 47% of US gamers watching live gaming streams there.
• According to DemandSage, YouTube Gaming is the second most preferred platform, with 40% of US gamers choosing it for live streams.
• According to DemandSage, the reported platform preferences among US gamers are:

United States Live-Streaming Audience and Platform Preferences by Age

• According to Insider Intelligence, 42% of people in the United States have watched live-streamed content, meaning live streaming reaches nearly half of the country’s residents.
• United States had about 163 million live video viewers in the latest reporting period.

(Source: DemandSage)

• According to Insider Intelligence, this total represents a 2.1% year-over-year increase from 2022, when the audience was about 160 million live-stream viewers.
• Platform preferences vary by age group, suggesting that marketers should tailor channel selection to audience age.
• Facebook Live is most preferred among mid-age adults, with 45% of US users aged 35 to 54 preferring it.
• YouTube Live is especially popular among younger adults, with 42% of US users aged 18 to 34 preferring it.
• The most popular live-streaming platforms in the United States by age group were reported as:

Live Streaming Trends Toward 2026

• FAST channels (free ad-supported streaming television) are expected to keep gaining share, and projections indicate they could account for around 10% of total TV viewing by 2026.
• Live streaming continues to attract very large viewing volumes, and 8.5 billion hours of live-stream content were watched in Q2 2024 across major platforms.
• This level of viewing equals roughly 970,000 years of watch time when the total hours are converted into years (8.5 billion hours ÷ 8,760 hours per year).
• Marketers are signaling higher budget allocation for live video, and 63% say they plan to increase investment in live video going forward.
• Social platforms remain part of the live-video mix for brands, and 32% of marketers expect to include Facebook Live in their video marketing strategy.

Interesting Live-Streaming Facts and Milestones

• According to Reuters, estimates for the global TV audience of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony were around 1 billion, although other published estimates have ranged higher 
• According to Streams Charts, CazéTV’s FIFA World Cup 2022 Brazil vs Croatia watch-along reached about 6.1 million peak live viewers, making it one of the biggest YouTube Live broadcasts on record. 
• According to DemandSage, using AI-based virtual hosts can cut live-stream production costs by as much as 70% compared with traditional human-led broadcasts. 
• According to Twitch’s 2024 figures reported by Polygon and The Verge, League of Legends exceeded 1 billion hours watched in 2024 alone, reinforcing its position as one of the platform’s most-watched games. 
• According to Streams Charts, TikTok Live overtook Twitch in Q1 2025 to become the second-most-watched streaming platform by total watch hours, supported by its large mobile-first audience. 
• According to Precedence Research, the combined AR and VR market is projected to reach USD 118.79 billion in 2026, and McKinsey notes that major demand drivers include gaming, live events, video entertainment, and retail use cases. 
• Some industry commentary also suggests consumer use cases could represent over 50% of AR/VR market activity by 2026, which aligns with growing interest in immersive live experiences and shopping.

Conclusion

Live streaming continues to show strong momentum, and the data indicates that overall viewership has grown by 61%, reflecting a clear shift toward real-time, interactive video. Viewers are also spending meaningful time on this format, with an average session lasting 25.4 minutes, which supports the view that live content holds attention longer than many on-demand options. Platform scale reinforces this trend, as Twitch alone reaches around 31 million daily active users, showing how large and loyal live-stream audiences have become.

From a marketing perspective, live video is increasingly treated as a core channel. Around 35% of marketers now use live video for promotion, and consumer preference is also strong, with 80% saying they would rather watch a live stream than read a blog. At the same time, audience expectations are rising: viewers want clear video and audio, fast start times, and real interaction. Overall, growing mobile viewing, deeper social platform use, and higher engagement suggest live streaming will remain a major content format across industries and age groups.