April 7, 2026 | SIGN UP
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Ronan Shields
SENIOR REPORTER, AD TECH
Apologies, the pun was just too much to resist.
Spotify’s ad exchange, or "SAX," launched last April, has driven sharp growth in programmatic advertising for the streaming service, according to our reporting.
Monthly active advertisers investing programmatically jumped 222%, and Spotify says it’s also seen broad improvements in revenue, format consumption, and performance.
Some agencies report strong spend increases too (e.g., +190% at Rain For Growth), and Spotify plans to expand ad tech and offer new ad units like sponsored playlists and swipeable carousels. However, buyers say audio spend remains split between direct and programmatic, with mixed experiences.
Elsewhere, The Trade Desk continues to intrigue with its recent fallout with Publicis Groupe, prompting some buyers to look elsewhere, but rivals told Digday such inflows were few and more inquisitive than intentional.
Meanwhile, its OpenPath offering continues to swell publishers' coffers, but volatility remains.
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