Netflix Introduces Viewer-Based Metric as Ads Reach 190 Million Global Viewers

Netflix announced on Wednesday that advertisements on its platform now reach more than 190 million monthly active viewers worldwide, as the company shifts to a new measurement system that counts individual viewers rather than subscriber accounts. The move underscores Netflix’s growing emphasis on advertising as a key revenue stream alongside its core subscription business.

The new metric, called Monthly Active Viewers (MAVs), counts anyone who watches at least one minute of ad-supported programming and adjusts for household size using Netflix’s internal data. The company said the change provides a “more comprehensive count” of how many people are actually viewing its content.

Netflix also reported significant progress in its advertising operations. Co-CEO Greg Peters said the company recorded its best-ever ad sales quarter in Q3 and remains on track to more than double its ad revenue this year. “We’ve established the fundamentals of the business and see a lot of room for growth,” Peters said.

As part of its advertising expansion, Netflix began testing dynamic ad insertion (DAI) during live-streamed WWE Raw and SmackDown events. The feature, which tailors ads in real time for each viewer, will be deployed in six countries — including the U.S., UK, Germany, Mexico, Brazil, and Canada — for the upcoming NFL Christmas Gameday, before rolling out to more live events in 2026.

The company’s in-house Netflix Ads Suite, launched earlier this year, is now available across all 12 markets offering ad-supported plans.