As CTV surges in APAC, Netflix bets big on programmatic

Netflix has completed its programmatic world tour.

Hot on the heels of its recent Australian rollout, the streaming giant expanded programmatic buying capabilities to Japan and South Korea last week. With streaming viewership outpacing linear TV in markets across the region, Netflix’s programmatic expansion in APAC is more than a product update — it’s a calculated bet that ad spend in those markets will follow the growing and highly engaged audiences that streaming provides.

What’s new?

Let’s start with Australia: Late last year, Netflix opened its inventory to The Trade Desk among other platforms. In May, it expanded its offering, letting media buyers tap into the “full power” of programmatic.

Now, that same access is live in Japan and Korea, where Netflix has partnered with The Trade Desk to bring the same capabilities to market.

“With programmatic now available across our ad markets in APAC, we’re offering more buying opportunities for our clients and ensuring advertisers are able to buy Netflix inventory in a variety of easy-to-access ways,” Mitchell Kreuch, APAC head of ad sales at Netflix, tells The Current.

The details

Kreuch says what makes Netflix stand out in the streaming ad space isn’t just the content, it’s the attention that content commands. This is especially pronounced in the region.

“Not only do our APAC ad members watch on average 35 hours of content per month, they pay active attention for up to 3 hours into viewing — much greater than other streamers,” he says.

Beyond viewership, Netflix says it’s giving advertisers tools to shape the environment in which their ads appear.

For media buyers, that means exclusivity in culturally defining titles like Squid Game 3, running only in the Top 10 TV shows or movies, or being the first ad a viewer sees in a session.

“Expanding our automated channels allows advertisers to lean into first and third-party data to enhance their buying relevance,” Kreuch adds.

Netflix’s programmatic rollout arrives at a time when APAC’s CTV ad market is surging, with 14.4% growth expected this year. In Australia alone, 83% of people report using connected TV platforms, according to Campaign Asia.

The global rollout

Netflix’s APAC programmatic rollout follows earlier launches in EMEA, Latin America and North America, effectively completing its global programmatic footprint across major markets.

The company has made no secret of its ambitions: Its Q1 2025 shareholder letter noted plans to double ad revenue this year.

That measured, region-by-region rollout appears to be paying off. In APAC, Kreuch says 50% of new signups are choosing the ad-supported plan, demonstrating not just consumer acceptance but an opportunity for advertisers to meet audiences where they’re watching now.

And brands are leaning in. From Kia’s single-title sponsorship of Squid Game 2 to UberEats’ partnership in Japan for City Hunter, and Booking.com’s title sponsorship of Bridgerton in Australia, the creative bar is rising alongside the tech.

The Current is owned and operated by The Trade Desk Inc.