Acast, the world’s leading independent podcast powerhouse, continues on its growth trajectory. In the second quarter of 2026, the company increased its revenue by 28 percent to 775.6 million SEK (Swedish kronor). Organic growth stood at 29 percent. Europe, in particular, showed strong growth. Revenue there rose by 25 percent compared with the same quarter a year earlier. This confirms the rising demand for podcast advertising and cross-channel audio and video solutions in the European market.
For the German market, this trend sends a clear signal. Advertisers are increasingly integrating podcasts as an integral part of their omnichannel strategies, rather than as an isolated audio channel. The combination of audio, video, social media, and creator content opens up new opportunities for brands to reach target audiences throughout the entire customer journey. Acast positions podcasts as the core of an integrated omnichannel ecosystem.
“The numbers show that podcast advertising is no longer a niche channel. In Germany in particular, we’re seeing brands increasingly integrate podcasts strategically into their media planning and use them as part of larger omnichannel campaigns,” says Nina Wüst, Country Manager for DACH at Acast. “Our goal is to work together with creators, agencies, and advertisers to further expand the medium’s potential and establish podcasts as an integral part of modern brand communication.”
Video campaigns are becoming a growth driver
A major milestone in the second quarter was the launch of the world’s first integrated video advertising campaigns within Apple Podcasts. This marks the first time Acast has monetized the platform’s new video environment on a large scale. More than 180 podcasts are already publishing video episodes via Apple Podcasts.
At the same time, Acast is working with the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) to develop uniform standards for cross-platform measurement of audio and video usage. In the future, video usage—such as YouTube—is expected to be included in a unified reach analysis alongside audio streams.
Higher revenue per use
While the number of listeners and video views rose only slightly—by 2 percent—to 1.12 billion, the average revenue per listen or view increased by 26 percent. This underscores advertisers’ growing willingness to pay for high-quality podcast inventory.
Outlook
Acast believes it is on track to achieve its long-term growth and profitability goals by 2028. Key drivers continue to be the expansion of its international creator network, the increasing monetization of video podcasts, and the rising demand for cross-channel advertising solutions.
Caption/Photo credits: Nina Wüst, Country Manager for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. © Acast