In Q2 2025, non-gaming applications surpassed mobile games for the first time, accounting for 52% of the record $40 billion in total in-app purchase revenue.
See it on page 6Global mobile gaming downloads contracted by 6.8% year-over-year, while Strategy titles replaced RPGs as the highest-grossing gaming category with a 23% increase.
See it on page 18ChatGPT became the fastest application to reach one billion downloads and secured a top-five position in global revenue, signaling a major shift toward AI-driven utility.
See it on page 21U.S. digital ad spend rose 12% to $34 billion, driven by increased marketing budgets from firms like Microsoft, Google, and Adobe to promote AI integrations.
See it on page 28Retail media continues to expand, with U.S. impressions rising 29% to 65 billion, though Amazon remains the dominant leader with nearly 80 billion impressions.
See it on page 37The United States remains the top revenue market at $15 billion, while emerging regions in Brazil and Africa are becoming increasingly critical for download volume and monetization.
See it on page 13Social media platforms maintain a dominant 72.5% share of total digital advertising spend.
See it on page 29The global digital landscape reached a significant milestone in the second quarter of 2025, as in-app purchase revenue hit a record $40 billion. This period marked a historic structural shift in the mobile economy, with non-gaming applications accounting for 52% of total consumer spending, surpassing mobile games for the first time. While total downloads stabilized at 37 billion, the market displayed clear signs of maturation; gaming downloads contracted by 6.8% year-over-year, while AI-driven productivity tools and short-drama streaming platforms emerged as the primary engines of growth. The United States maintained its position as the premier revenue market at $15 billion, though emerging regions such as Brazil and various African nations are increasingly vital for download volume and monetization expansion.
Within the gaming sector, Strategy titles overtook RPGs as the highest-grossing category, achieving a 23% year-over-year increase. However, the most significant individual performance came from ChatGPT, which became the fastest application to reach one billion downloads and secured a position among the top five global revenue earners. This surge in AI utility was mirrored in the advertising sector, where U.S. digital ad spend rose 12% to $34 billion. Major technology firms including Microsoft, Google, and Adobe significantly increased their marketing budgets to promote AI integrations like Copilot, contributing to a landscape where social media maintains a 72.5% share of total ad spend.
Retail media has solidified its role as a critical advertising channel, with U.S. impressions rising 29% to 65 billion across various retailers. Despite this broad growth, Amazon remains the undisputed leader in the space, generating nearly 80 billion impressions and outperforming all other tracked retailers combined. These findings are supported by expanded tracking capabilities across key Asian markets and diverse digital channels, though the data specifically excludes certain year-over-year Amazon metrics due to recent tracking implementation. Overall, the quarter reflects a pivot toward high-utility AI applications and a diversifying advertising ecosystem dominated by social and retail platforms.
