Licensing International released the executive summary of its 2026 Global Licensing Industry Study, reporting $389.8 billion in global sales of licensed merchandise and services in 2025.
The 5.45% year-over-year increase once again outpaced the broader global retail market, which grew nominally by 4.52%, reinforcing the continued strength of licensed products across categories and regions.
The annual study, conducted by independent research firm Brandar Consulting, highlights continued consumer demand for licensed products tied to nostalgia, escapism, and shared brand experiences. As consumers navigate economic uncertainty and digital fatigue, licensed properties continue to offer trusted connections to the brands, characters, and stories they love.
Maura Regan, President of Licensing International, said:
“This data confirms what licensing professionals around the world already know to be true, which is that licensed merchandise is a powerful business-driver. This is not an industry anchored to one consumer category or one type of fan engagement. Licensing is a dynamic, global business that continues to move at the pace of changing consumer behavior. From sports and entertainment to anime, gaming, and location-based experiences, licensing continues to deepen consumer engagement in powerful ways and drive revenue.”
The 2026 Global Study results are derived from multiple sources of market information as well as survey-reported data from 51 countries across all seven major geographic regions. In all, the study’s analysis includes licensing data from 1,068 companies spanning the globe.
Key takeaways from the 2026 Global Licensing Industry Study include:
Character/Entertainment Licensing Remains a Significant Growth Engine
The Character/Entertainment segment grew 8% to reach $161.8 billion in retail sales, driven by healthy box office performance and strong contributions from the Anime and Video Game sectors.
Anime, Video Games, Comics, Social Media, and Other properties now make up a combined 34% of licensing revenues in the category, slightly ahead of Feature Films and Scripted & Unscripted TV at 33%.
Sports Becomes the Fastest-Growing Property Category
The Sports property category reported the highest growth of any property type this past year, increasing 8.5% to reach $44.4 billion.
Sports is now the third-largest property category, representing 11.4% of the market, its highest share ever in the Global Study.
Licensed Toys Benefit from the Rise of the Kidult Consumer
The licensed Toys product category reached $46.4 billion, fueled in part by the growing “kidult” demographic.
In 2025, nearly 40% of European adult consumers reported purchasing toys for themselves or another adult.
North Asia Leads Regional Growth
North Asia was the fastest-growing region globally at +14.1%, driven by robust increases in global box office sales, video games, and anime streaming content, led by Japan, South Korea, and China.
Online Retail and Social Commerce Create New Pathways for Licensed Sales
Online retail sales rose to 32% of all global licensed retail sales.
For the first time, the study tracked social commerce, finding that 16% of all online sales globally were generated from social media platforms.
Mature Consumers Represent a Significant Long-Term Opportunity
The study also highlights a significant long-term opportunity with mature consumers aged 60 and older, a demographic forecast to increase spending to $43 trillion by 2040.
Further results from Licensing International’s 2026 Global Licensing Industry Study will be published in the complete report, including regional and country-by-country breakdowns for major markets. The full Global Study will be made available for free to Licensing International members (and publicly for purchase) later this summer.
