Spotify Expands Its Advertising Solutions with Spotify Ad Exchange in Japan

Spotify Expands Its Advertising Solutions in Japan

On September 21, Spotify, the globally renowned audio streaming service with over 696 million users, announced the launch of its programmatic advertising solution, the Spotify Ad Exchange (SAX), tailored for its Japanese audience. This new offering allows advertisers in Japan to access a real-time bidding system, enabling more efficient ad delivery through various formats, such as audio, video, and display.

Introduction of Spotify Ad Exchange

The Spotify Ad Exchange was first revealed during the company’s inaugural advertising experience event, Spotify Advance, held in the United States on April 2, 2025. This innovative programmatic advertising product positions itself as a core solution within Spotify’s advertising technology suite. With the introduction of SAX, Japanese advertisers will have streamlined access to ad placements via demand-side platforms (DSPs) such as The Trade Desk, Google Display & Video 360, and Magnite.

Key Features of Spotify Ad Exchange

1. Simplicity and Accessibility

SAX offers advertisers the ease of accessing ad inventory across major formats, including audio, video, and display, through their preferred DSPs. This seamless integration into programmatic strategies can lead to quicker campaign deployment and better performance.

2. Flexibility in Bidding Options

Advertisers can take advantage of open auctions as well as private marketplaces (PMP) to place their bids. Additionally, Spotify plans to introduce programmatic guaranteed (PG) inventory in the near future, providing enhanced flexibility and real-time optimization for campaigns.

3. Precision Targeting Capabilities

The platform employs cutting-edge targeting solutions such as UID 2.0 from The Trade Desk, PAIR from Google DV360, and RampID from LiveRamp. This allows brands to run more precise omni-channel campaigns, optimizing their targeting and effectiveness measurement.

Spotify Ad Exchange is already operational in regions including the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, Brazil, and Mexico. The extension of this service into Japan represents a significant expansion of Spotify’s advertising footprint.

Quote from Spotify

Elisa Kersal, head of advertising business for Spotify in the Asia-Pacific region, stated, "Advertisers in Japan are seeking more efficient, data-driven ways to reach the right audiences. Spotify Ad Exchange was designed to meet these needs by enabling real-time engagement with listeners who have a strong interest in music, allowing Japanese brands to develop more relevant, measurable, and effective campaigns."

About Spotify

Since its inception in 2008, Spotify has transformed how music is enjoyed globally. The platform boasts over 100 million songs, more than 6.5 million podcasts, and over 350,000 audiobooks, all of which can be discovered, managed, and shared for free. By upgrading to a premium subscription, users enjoy an ad-free experience, higher sound quality, and offline listening capabilities. Currently, Spotify serves a massive user base of 696 million, including 276 million premium subscribers, across 184 countries and regions, making it the most popular audio streaming service in the world.