QY Research Inc. (Global Market Report Research Publisher) announces the release of 2025 latest report “Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise- Global Market Share and Ranking, Overall Sales and Demand Forecast 2026-2032”. Based on current situation and impact historical analysis (2020-2024) and forecast calculations (2026-2032), this report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise market, including market size, share, demand, industry development status, and forecasts for the next few years.
The global market for Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise was estimated to be worth US$ 181491 million in 2025 and is projected to reach US$ million, growing at a CAGR of % from 2026 to 2032.
【Get a free sample PDF of this report (Including Full TOC, List of Tables & Figures, Chart)】
https://www.qyresearch.com/reports/5514714/licensed-entertainment-and-character-merchandise
The market has grown into a global economic force. According to the new market research report “Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise - Global Market Share and Ranking, Overall Sales and Demand Forecast 2025-2031″, published by QYResearch, valued at US$166.78 billion in 2024, the Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise industry is expected to reach US$268.81 billion by 2031, with a strong CAGR of 6.77%. This expansion is supported by the deepening integration of entertainment IP into toys, apparel, digital products, collectibles, home goods, and cross-category lifestyle merchandise. From global blockbusters and streaming originals to viral gaming IP and long-running animation franchises, licensed merchandise provides companies with revenue stability and long-term brand equity. The structural importance of licensing continues to rise as entertainment companies shift from content-driven to ecosystem-driven monetization models.
Figure00001. Global Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise Market Size (US$ million), 2025-2031
Source: QYResearch, “Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise – Global Market Share and Ranking, Overall Sales and Demand Forecast 2025-2031”
The competitive landscape is dynamic and concentrated. Companies such as Disney, Hasbro, Warner Bros. Discovery, Pokémon Company, Mattel, Paramount, NBCUniversal, Toei Animation, and Sanrio anchor the global licensing ecosystem. The top five players collectively hold nearly 47.7% of global revenue, reflecting the outsized influence of a few content giants with extensive storytelling universes and cross-media franchises. Disney’s portfolio—from Marvel and Star Wars to Pixar and classic character assets—remains the industry benchmark for multi-platform monetization. Pokémon continues to dominate gaming and animation-related merchandise through unparalleled cross-generational loyalty. Mattel and Hasbro leverage toy innovation and franchise management to sustain brand longevity, while Toei and Sanrio exemplify the cultural resonance of Japanese characters in global markets. Yet beneath these giants lies a vibrant long-tail ecosystem of small studios, influencer-driven IP creators, regional licensors, and digital-native characters gaining rapid traction on social media platforms.
Figure00002. Global Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise Top 19 Players Ranking and Market Share (Ranking is based on the revenue of 2024, continually updated)
Source: QYResearch, “Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise – Global Market Share and Ranking, Overall Sales and Demand Forecast 2025-2031”
Figure00003. Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise, Global Market Size, Split by Product Segment
Source: QYResearch, “Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise - Global Market Share and Ranking, Overall Sales and Demand Forecast 2025-2031”
In terms of market structure, the industry is shaped by four primary content categories. Movies & TV Shows account for the largest share, fueled by cinematic universes, streaming expansion, and the enduring commercial power of long-running franchises. Animation & Cartoons, nearly equal in scale, remain the foundation of character merchandise, particularly in Asia where animation IP holds multigenerational cultural influence. Games represent the fastest-evolving segment, driven by esports expansion, interactive fandom communities, and gaming IP that transcend physical and digital boundaries. Others, including celebrity brands, social-media-generated characters, and hybrid entertainment properties, round out the growing diversity of licensed content sources.
Applications span a wide consumer-product landscape. Toys remain one of the largest categories, with characters from films, animations, and games driving collectible culture and repeat purchase cycles. Apparel leverages fashion collaborations, streetwear drops, and nostalgia-driven capsule collections, integrating licensed elements into personal identity expression. Entertainment & Media merchandise—spanning books, comics, games, and digital content—extends the storyline beyond screens. Home products represent a smaller but rapidly growing field, especially in markets where lifestyle aesthetics merge with fandom culture. The “Others” category, including stationery, gifts, cosmetics, food collaborations, and tech accessories, has become essential for expanding IP presence into high-frequency daily use.
The report provides a detailed analysis of the market size, growth potential, and key trends for each segment. Through detailed analysis, industry players can identify profit opportunities, develop strategies for specific customer segments, and allocate resources effectively.
The Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise market is segmented as below:
By Company
The Walt Disney Company
Hasbro
Warner Bros. Discovery
The Pokémon Company
Mattel
Paramount
NBCUniversal
Toei Animation
Sanrio
Authentic Brands Group
WildBrain
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Jazwares
Sony
Spin Master
SEGA Corporation
Toho
Moomin Characters
Alpha Group
Shanghai Tianluo Bank Brand Management Co
Segment by Type
Movies & TV Shows
Animation & Cartoons
Games
Others
Segment by Application
Toys
Apparel
Entertainment & Media
Home Products
Others
Each chapter of the report provides detailed information for readers to further understand the Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise market:
Chapter 1: Introduces the report scope of the Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise report, global total market size (valve, volume and price). This chapter also provides the market dynamics, latest developments of the market, the driving factors and restrictive factors of the market, the challenges and risks faced by manufacturers in the industry, and the analysis of relevant policies in the industry. (2021-2032)
Chapter 2: Detailed analysis of Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise manufacturers competitive landscape, price, sales and revenue market share, latest development plan, merger, and acquisition information, etc. (2021-2026)
Chapter 3: Provides the analysis of various Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise market segments by Type, covering the market size and development potential of each market segment, to help readers find the blue ocean market in different market segments. (2021-2032)
Chapter 4: Provides the analysis of various market segments by Application, covering the market size and development potential of each market segment, to help readers find the blue ocean market in different downstream markets.(2021-2032)
Chapter 5: Sales, revenue of Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise in regional level. It provides a quantitative analysis of the market size and development potential of each region and introduces the market development, future development prospects, market space, and market size of each country in the world..(2021-2032)
Chapter 6: Sales, revenue of Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise in country level. It provides sigmate data by Type, and by Application for each country/region.(2021-2032)
Chapter 7: Provides profiles of key players, introducing the basic situation of the main companies in the market in detail, including product sales, revenue, price, gross margin, product introduction, recent development, etc. (2021-2026)
Chapter 8: Analysis of industrial chain, including the upstream and downstream of the industry.
Chapter 9: Conclusion.
Benefits of purchasing QYResearch report:
Competitive Analysis: QYResearch provides in-depth Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise competitive analysis, including information on key company profiles, new entrants, acquisitions, mergers, large market shear, opportunities, and challenges. These analyses provide clients with a comprehensive understanding of market conditions and competitive dynamics, enabling them to develop effective market strategies and maintain their competitive edge.
Industry Analysis: QYResearch provides Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise comprehensive industry data and trend analysis, including raw material analysis, market application analysis, product type analysis, market demand analysis, market supply analysis, downstream market analysis, and supply chain analysis.
and trend analysis. These analyses help clients understand the direction of industry development and make informed business decisions.
Market Size: QYResearch provides Licensed Entertainment and Character Merchandise market size analysis, including capacity, production, sales, production value, price, cost, and profit analysis. This data helps clients understand market size and development potential, and is an important reference for business development.
Other relevant reports of QYResearch:
About Us：
QYResearch founded in California, USA in 2007, which is a leading global market research and consulting company. Our primary business include market research reports, custom reports, commissioned research, IPO consultancy, business plans, etc. With over 19 years of experience and a dedicated research team, we are well placed to provide useful information and data for your business, and we have established offices in 7 countries (include United States, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Korea, China and India) and business partners in over 30 countries. We have provided industrial information services to more than 60,000 companies in over the world.
Contact Us:
If you have any queries regarding this report or if you would like further information, please contact us:
QY Research Inc.
Add: 17890 Castleton Street Suite 369 City of Industry CA 91748 United States
EN: https://www.qyresearch.com
Email: global@qyresearch.com
Tel: 001-626-842-1666(US)
JP: https://www.qyresearch.co.jp
