Music streaming giant Spotify announced on Monday that it paid out over $100 million to podcast creators across the globe during the first quarter of 2025 — marking the first time the company has publicly disclosed such figures.
According to a statement released by the company, the payouts encompass earnings from advertising revenue and Spotify’s newly launched Partner Program, an initiative introduced earlier this year aimed at empowering creators to monetise their content more efficiently. The move is seen as a strong indication of Spotify’s deepening commitment to the global creator economy.
Having ventured into the podcasting arena in 2015 and further strengthened its position with the acquisition of Gimlet Media in 2019, Spotify has continually expanded its footprint beyond music streaming. This latest revelation underscores the company's ambition to cement itself as a leading force in audio content creation.
“This milestone reflects our ongoing dedication to providing creators with meaningful opportunities to build and scale their businesses on Spotify,” the company stated.
The announcement comes ahead of Spotify’s first-quarter earnings release, scheduled for Tuesday. In 2024, Spotify reported €15.7 billion ($17.9 billion) in revenue and achieved a historic milestone by posting its first-ever annual net profit of €1.1 billion, signaling a turning point after years of strategic investments in non-music offerings such as podcasts, audiobooks, and live audio.
Industry experts view the $100 million payout not only as a milestone but as a calculated effort to attract and retain top podcasting talent amid increasing competition from tech giants like Apple, Amazon, and YouTube, all vying for dominance in the rapidly growing audio content market.
As Spotify continues to diversify its revenue streams and invest heavily in creator support, analysts predict that the company’s influence in shaping the future of the podcasting industry will only grow stronger in the years ahead.