Stock Video Market Size, Share and Growth Analysis Report - Forecast Trends and Outlook (2025-2034)

The global stock video market was valued at USD 5.13 Billion in 2024. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.94% during the forecast period of 2025-2034 to reach a value of USD 9.14 Billion by 2034. Remote content production in post-COVID workflows has largely boosted the need for scalable, pre-shot video content solutions.

The market has witnessed a profound shift driven by the explosive demand for short-form and immersive video content, especially in business communication, online advertising, and corporate training. A notable market trend is the surging reliance on hyper-realistic stock footage created using AI and virtual production. For instance, Adobe’s Firefly AI platform offers generative video, reshaping how marketers and brands source clips. According to the stock video market analysis, 91% of marketers now use video as a core content asset, with a sharp tilt towards curated, licensable content to scale campaigns. This underlines a commercial demand for flexible, on-brand footage that eliminates traditional production hassles.

The market’s expansion is also boosted by global digitalisation initiatives and e-learning penetration. In the United Kingdom, the Department for Business and Trade reported a significant rise in SME video usage for customer engagement. Meanwhile, the European Commission’s Digital Decade targets have prioritised digital media access for small businesses by 2030, further boosting the stock video market opportunities.

Key Trends and Recent Developments

February 2025

Adobe launched its Firefly Video Model, a generative AI video tool that is suitable for commercial use and IP-friendly, available in public beta. With the integration of video creation and extensive creative controls for professionals and businesses, this edition extends Firefly's capabilities beyond image and vector generation. This enhances AI-driven video creation, boosting stock video supply for professionals.

January 2025

Shutterstock and Getty Images Holdings, Inc. announced that they have signed a final merger agreement to merge in a merger of equals transaction, becoming a leading visual content company. With an estimated enterprise value of USD 3.7 billion, the merged business will be known as Getty Images Holdings, Inc. This merger consolidates market leadership, expanding global stock video libraries and licensing.

November 2023

Adobe purchased Rephrase.ai, a startup with an AI-powered video creation platform based in Bengaluru. Through the agreement, Adobe will be able to improve its products by integrating Rephrase's technology with its Creative Cloud video-editing platform. This acquisition of Rephrase.ai strengthens AI video editing, enriching stock content quality and speed.

May 2022

Pond5, the largest video-first content marketplace for filmmakers, media firms, and marketers globally, was acquired by Shutterstock, Inc., the top global creative platform for transformative brands and media companies. Shutterstock’s Pond5 acquisition broadens its stock video offerings, catering to diverse global media demands.

Rise of Customisable AI-Generated Stock Footage

The emergence of AI-based video generation tools, like Runway and Pika, has enabled platforms to offer customisable stock video built from text prompts. For instance, Shutterstock’s launch of a generative video suite, in partnership with NVIDIA in March 2023, saw a considerable growth in enterprise subscriptions, stimulating the stock video market growth. With brands demanding contextual content tailored to niche demographics, generative AI is being embedded into licensing models, allowing businesses to localise or customise stock content in minutes.

Government-Funded Creative Hubs and Creator Economies

Several nations are establishing digital creator funds and production grants to foster high-quality video content creation, feeding stock libraries. For instance, the United Kingdom’s EUR 77 million Creative Industries Sector Vision aims to boost creative exports, particularly stock content from independent creators. Similarly, Canada’s Creative Export Strategy funds content digitisation and licensing for global platforms, accelerating the stock video demand growth. These initiatives not only support creators but also help stock marketplaces diversify their collections with authentic, region-specific clips.

Growth in Subscription-Based Licensing Models

Enterprise users are increasingly shifting from one-off purchases to volume-based subscriptions, driven by the need for continuous content streams. This is observed in Artgrid’s enterprise rollout and Envato’s tailored corporate packages. Subscription models ensure predictability in pricing and availability, an appealing proposition for agencies, educational institutions, and media houses running multichannel campaigns. This stock video market trend has compelled platforms to expand licensing rights, increase clip turnaround, and offer integrations with video editing suites like Premiere Pro and Final Cut.

Stock Video Use in Corporate L&D and Virtual Simulations

Stock video is finding applications beyond marketing, particularly in corporate learning and development. Virtual training modules now rely heavily on stock clips to simulate workplace scenarios. Tech firms like SAP and PwC have expanded their use of stock footage in upskilling platforms. For businesses aiming to scale L&D efficiently across regions and languages, such ready-to-use footage is vital in ensuring relatability and compliance across geographies.

Integration with MarTech Ecosystems and Automation Tools

Stock video is being deeply integrated into marketing automation and content management ecosystems. Platforms like HubSpot, Canva, and Storyblok now offer in-app access to stock video libraries, allowing users to insert footage into workflows without external downloads. This streamlining appeals to B2B marketers working on tight schedules, boosting further demand in the stock video market. In addition, programmatic video ad platforms are tapping automated stock insertion to dynamically generate creatives at scale.

Global Stock Video Industry Segmentation

The report titled “Global Stock Video Market Report and Forecast 2025-2034” offers a detailed analysis of the market based on the following segments:

Market Breakup by Image Source

• Macro-Stock
• Micro-Stock

Key Insight: While macro-stock dominates large-scale commercial projects due to quality and brand consistency needs, micro-stock continues to disrupt the space with scalable access and integration ease. Businesses now strategically blend both, using macro for flagship campaigns and micro for agile, everyday content requirements. This hybrid sourcing strategy allows brands to balance visual impact with cost-efficiency, particularly as content demands rise across social platforms, internal communications, and training modules.

Market Breakup by License Model

• Rights Managed (RM)
• Royalty-Free (RF)

Key Insight: While royalty-free licensing continues to drive the stock video market value with its affordability, ease of use, and wide accessibility, rights managed content is becoming essential for enterprises requiring exclusivity, compliance, and brand safety. Each caters to distinct business needs, RF suits high-volume, fast-turnaround content, while RM fits regulated sectors and premium campaigns. As enterprises increasingly operate across diverse platforms and regions, this dual-model ecosystem offers flexibility and control, allowing companies to scale content creation while maintaining legal clarity, contextual relevance, and strategic alignment with brand identity.

Market Breakup by End Use

• Editorial
• Commercial

Key Insight: Editorial stock remains vital for ensuring media accuracy, legal clarity, and contextual integrity, making it a go-to for news, documentaries, and educational content. On the other hand, commercial end use is gaining rapid traction in the stock video industry in branding, digital marketing, and corporate training, thanks to its flexibility and wide application.

Market Breakup by Region

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East and Africa

Key Insight: The North America stock video market’s continued dominance is powered by its advanced content ecosystem and licensing frameworks. Asia-Pacific is growing rapidly, powered by digital expansion and regional content creation. Europe maintains steady demand, especially in public and educational sectors. The market in Latin America is experiencing growth through creative industries and ecommerce, while the Middle East and Africa are leveraging stock content in tourism, government outreach, and online education.

Global Stock Video Market Share

By image source, macro-stock footage led the market owing to high quality and editorial licensing demands

Macro-stock, traditionally the premium category, dominates the global market due to its unmatched quality and licensing exclusivity. These clips often include cinematic productions, editorial footage, and drone shots that meet broadcast and enterprise-grade requirements. Platforms like Getty Images and BBC Motion Gallery continue to attract high-budget buyers in sectors like finance, tourism, and pharmaceuticals.

Micro-stock observes the fastest growth in the stock video market, driven by cost-efficiency and wide availability. With platforms like iStock, Envato, and Storyblocks enabling access to millions of royalty-free videos, SMEs and digital startups have become increasingly drawn to this category. The ease of licensing and integration with popular design tools such as Canva and Figma also adds appeal.

By license model, royalty-free stock footage accounts for the largest market share due to cost efficiency and flexible usage rights

As per the stock video market report, royalty-free licensing remains the preferred model, particularly in marketing, education, and internal business communication. Its one-time payment structure and flexible usage make it ideal for ongoing campaigns and content repurposing. Platforms like Artgrid, Motion Array, and Shutterstock have expanded their RF libraries, offering 4K and vertical formats. B2B players favour RF for its budget predictability, especially for high-frequency content output in social, webinars, and training.

Rights managed stock video is finding relevance in highly regulated industries and bespoke brand storytelling. RM licenses ensure exclusivity, controlled usage, and accurate tracking, critical for industries like pharma, legal, and broadcast media, thereby boosting the stock video industry opportunities. Getty Images and Filmsupply continue to lead in this space, often offering RM bundles with location-specific restrictions.

Editorial end use dominates the market due to growing demand in news & documentaries

The editorial end use category continues to hold the dominant share in the stock video market revenue, driven by demand from media houses, news portals, and educational content producers. Editorial footage is highly sought after for its real-world relevance, covering protests, climate change, elections, and cultural events. Platforms like Reuters Connect and Getty Images have significantly expanded their editorial video libraries, targeting B2B buyers needing timely, authentic, and legally cleared content.

Commercial usage is rising sharply as brands embrace stock video to fuel high-frequency, cost-efficient marketing. This category includes usage in digital ads, social media, explainer videos, and corporate films. With consumer attention spans shortening, businesses now prefer quick-to-license, high-quality footage for visual storytelling. Platforms such as Storyblocks and Artgrid offer tailor-made B2B packages with built-in editing tools, making them ideal for fast-paced campaign cycles.

Global Stock Video Market Regional Analysis

North America leads the market due to high content consumption and corporate demand

North America remains the dominant region in the global stock video industry, driven by high content consumption across sectors such as media, advertising, and e-learning. The presence of major platforms, strong demand from film studios, and the rise of content-driven B2B enterprises support the region’s sustained growth. United States-based companies increasingly use stock video in corporate training, product launches, and explainer campaigns. Canada’s creative economy further fuels regional supply, supported by content export incentives.

The stock video market in Asia-Pacific experiences continuous growth, with surging demand from digital-first businesses, edtech firms, and mobile-centric marketing ecosystems. Countries like India, China, and Indonesia are witnessing increased content creation, driven by localised branding needs and regional storytelling. The expanding gig economy and regional creator platforms have contributed to the volume of culturally relevant stock footage, particularly in micro-stock libraries.

Competitive Landscape

The global industry is becoming intensely competitive, with companies focusing on localisation, AI integration, and B2B licensing tools. Key stock video market players are investing in partnerships with media houses, building creator networks, and launching intuitive editing platforms to enhance customer retention. The surge in demand from regional businesses and startups has prompted platforms to curate vernacular and culturally nuanced content, opening monetisation channels for local creators.

Automation and metadata tagging, powered by AI, is another area of focus, aiming to reduce content discovery time for B2B buyers. Mobile-first tools and drag-and-drop editors are also being embedded into licensing platforms to serve non-design professionals. The biggest opportunity lies in bundling video with templates, music, and analytics to create complete brand solutions. As businesses seek agility and scale in content creation, stock video companies must continuously innovate and offer value beyond footage, through licensing models, API integrations, and industry-specific libraries.

Adobe Inc.

Established in 1982 and headquartered in San Jose, California, Adobe Inc. caters to the stock video market through its Adobe Stock platform, seamlessly integrated within the Creative Cloud suite. The company enables B2B users to access, license, and directly use stock video within tools like Premiere Pro and After Effects. Its subscription-based model and enterprise solutions are tailored for agencies, content teams, and marketing departments.

Getty Images

Founded in 1995 and based in Seattle, Washington, Getty Images is a leading global provider of high-quality editorial and commercial stock footage. The platform caters to media houses, government institutions, and corporate clients with exclusive rights-managed content and extensive archival footage. Getty’s editorial strength makes it a trusted source for news coverage, documentaries, and legal-safe storytelling.

Pond5 Inc.

Pond5 Inc., established in 2006 and headquartered in New York City, operates as a dynamic marketplace for royalty-free stock videos, particularly focusing on creative and independent contributors.

Shutterstock, Inc.

Established in 2002 and based in New York City, Shutterstock, Inc. is a key player in the global stock video market, offering a vast library of royalty-free video content through flexible subscription models. The platform serves businesses across sectors, from retail to education, providing ready-to-use, high-resolution clips suitable for ads, presentations, and internal communication.

Key Highlights of the Global Stock Video Market Report:

• Detailed historical data and future forecasts mapped out till 2034.
• Coverage of AI-generated stock content and auto-tagging innovations improving discoverability.
• Breakdown of evolving licensing models including hybrid subscription-rights frameworks.
• Regional mapping of emerging creative hubs and decentralised contributor economies.
• B2B-specific analysis showcasing rising demand in corporate training, MarTech, and L&D sectors.

Why Rely on Expert Market Research?

• Industry-recognised expertise in creative content, digital media, and licensing markets.
• Actionable insights developed with a B2B-first perspective and real-world business use cases.
• Hybrid research methodology blending AI tools, human expertise, and deep sector interviews.
• Forward-looking intelligence designed to align with your innovation, expansion, and sourcing strategies.
• Granular forecasting paired with macro and micro-level trend analysis for strategic planning.