CTV’s Self-Service Rise: Breaking Barriers or Building Silos?

Out of the top 10 streaming services in the U.S., eight now operate proprietary self-service ad platforms (Netflix and AppleTV+ are yet to launch one). This isn’t a coincidence—it’s a shift fueled by economics, accessibility, and tech-driven ambition. The growth of self-service platforms in connected TV (CTV) will require a redefinition of how brands of all sizes approach media buying.

The rise of proprietary self-service ad platforms is not coincidental. First, streaming giants are looking hard at the dollars lost to intermediaries. IAB reported in 2024 that 75% of CTV Ad dollars are already transacted programmatically. The layers of technology vendors have long taken their cut from every ad dollar. Streaming companies, sitting on some of the . . .