WAVES 2025: Indian creator economy to influence over $1 trillion in consumer spend by 2030

Mumbai, May 2 India's creators currently influence over $350 billion in consumer spending annually — a figure expected to surpass $1 trillion by 2030, the government said on Friday, citing an industry report.

The creator ecosystem’s direct revenues, estimated at $20–25 billion today, are projected to reach $100–125 billion by the end of the decade, according to the data.

India's digital landscape is undergoing a significant transformation driven by the rise of its creator economy.

The report by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), titled "From Content to Commerce: Mapping India’s Creator Economy", is set to be launched at the mega ‘WAVES 2025’ event here on Saturday.

The report highlights that India is home to 2 to 2.5 million active digital creators, defined as individuals with over 1,000 followers.

Despite the scale, only 8–10 per cent of them currently monetise their content effectively, underscoring the untapped potential of this fast-growing sector.

Creators influence more than 30 per cent of consumer decisions, shaping $350–400 billion in spending today, according to the findings.

Moreover, the ecosystem is expanding beyond Gen Z and metropolitan centres, reaching varied age groups and city tiers.

Short-form video remains the dominant content format, with comedy, films, daily soaps, and fashion being the most consumed genres.

"Brand strategies are evolving, with increased emphasis on faster content production, greater creative freedom, diversified consumer targeting, and outcome-based testing," according to an I&B Ministry statement.

Revenue models are diversifying, with consumer-funded avenues such as virtual gifting, live commerce, and subscriptions gaining traction.

Brands are expected to scale up their investments in creator marketing by 1.5 to 3 times in the coming years, signalling a pivotal shift in marketing and commerce driven by the digital creator ecosystem, said the report.

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