May AdTech Roundup: Key Highlights, & Latest AdTech Trends!

Author

Ashok Ganapam
May 30, 2025

- DATABEAT INSIGHT SERIES…

Hey DataBeat Community,

May’s here, and AdTech is moving fast. This month, we break down the record surge in ads.txt growth, highlight which SSPs are gaining traction, and unpack the latest US programmatic trends, where display CPMs edged up, video CPMs dropped sharply, and fill rates tightened.

Meet our team at Cannes Lions on June 16–20, and stay tuned for actionable insights to help you navigate an evolving landscape and make the most of every opportunity this month.

Thank you for being a valued part of our community!

Ads.txt Growth Accelerates: Our May 2025 Sellers Report shows a net increase of 11.4K ads.txt lines in April, the biggest jump this year. Emerging SSPs added 7.7K+ lines, highlighting strong traction in the mid-tier segment. Zeno-Media, Criteo, Smaato, Sharethrough & Freewheel led April’s growth with significant new publisher connections.

April 2025 saw overall CPMs remain flat month-over-month, with display CPMs up 3.9% and video CPMs down 31.1%. Year-over-year, CPMs declined 25%, reflecting a post-election dip in political ad spend and ongoing economic uncertainty. Fill rates also dropped from 42% to 38%. Notably, AdX saw a slight QoQ CPM lift, bucking the trend, while Amazon (-29%) and IX (-18%) experienced the biggest declines.

Early in the month, lighter advertiser demand led to higher win rates, but bidding intensified mid- to late-month as budgets ramped up, peaking in the final days. To adapt, publishers should adjust floor prices dynamically, lowering them at the start of the month and increasing as demand surges, especially in the last 10 days. Leveraging real-time optimization and diversifying demand sources will be key to stabilizing revenue as market volatility continues.

CPM Trends:

  • MoM Growth: Display CPMs ↑3.9%, Video CPMs ↓31.1%, Overall CPM flat

  • YoY Change: YoY: Display CPMs ↓29.7%, Video CPMs ↓13.3%, Overall CPM ↓25%

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Connect with the DataBeat Team at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025

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May is a month of momentum, use fresh insights from ads.txt growth, evolving SSP dynamics, and the latest programmatic trends to sharpen your strategy. Stay agile, embrace innovation, and let these learnings power your Q2 success.

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