An EU study revealed that advertising share of major brands on pirated content websites has surged by 80% in one year.
On June 23, 2026,
Online Advertising on IPR-Infringing Websites and Apps 2025 - EUIPO
https://www.euipo.europa.eu/el/publications/online-advertising-on-ipr-infringing-websites-and-apps-2025
Major Brand Ads on Pirate Sites Surged 80% in a Year, EUIPO Finds * TorrentFreak
https://torrentfreak.com/major-brand-ads-on-pirate-sites-surged-80-in-a-year-euipo-finds/
From January to November 2025, the EUIPO used White Bullet Solutions ' ad monitoring system, which detects piracy and blocks ads, to collect data on the volume, types of ads, advertisers, and intermediaries on pirated websites. The 2025 study analyzed advertising activity on 5,671 websites and 337 mobile applications identified as 'illegal' or 'high-risk,' including 18 EU member states, as well as the UK and the US as comparison countries.
The monitored websites recorded 12.7 billion ad impressions, and the monitored apps recorded 3.4 billion ad impressions. 58% of the website ad impressions originated from 'high-risk' sources, and 52% of the app ad impressions originated from 'illegal' apps.
An analysis of advertisers revealed that 'corporate brands' as a whole accounted for 66% of ad impressions on monitored websites and 96% of ad impressions on monitored apps. Of these, 'major brands' accounted for 36% of ad impressions on websites and 16% of ad impressions on apps. This represents an 80% increase in market share compared to 2024, when major brand ads accounted for 20% of website impressions.
A total of 61,628 advertisers were identified on the monitored websites, and 7,088 advertisers were identified on the monitored apps. Major brands accounted for 8% of all identified brands, highlighting the continued exposure of well-known brands even in infringing environments. Global advertising revenue from the monitored websites reached 382 million euros (approximately 65 billion yen), and the estimated total revenue from the monitored apps reached 15 million euros (approximately 2.6 billion yen). Websites in the 18 EU member states under monitoring alone are estimated to have generated 28.5 million euros (approximately 4.8 billion yen) in advertising revenue.
A 2021 report found that major brands accounted for only 3% of ad impressions on pirated sites, a cumulative increase of over 1000% over the past five years. The EUIPO cited the end of its awareness program for brands that advertised on websites infringing intellectual property rights in 2023 as one of the reasons for this decline.
The statement that 'major brand ads increased by 80% year-on-year' refers to the relative share of all advertising. The total number of monitored websites decreased from 7,250 in 2024 to 5,671 in 2025, and the estimated number of ad impressions in monitored countries decreased from 14.4 billion to 12.7 billion. The 2024 report also suggested that the surge in major brand ads was partly due to a decrease in low-quality, fraudulent ads due to regulations and system blocking, suggesting that major brand ads themselves may not have increased in number. However, the 2025 data shows a significant increase in the share of major brands, while the decline in advertising revenue for piracy sites has slowed, suggesting that the 2024 trend may not apply.
EUIPO stated, 'The continued monetization of copyright-infringing content through legitimate advertising highlights a persistent weakness in the digital advertising ecosystem. These findings suggest that copyright infringement watchlists may no longer be as effective as before in restricting advertising on copyright-infringing websites. Not only are legitimate brand ads increasing, but fraudulent and malware ads on monitored websites have also risen significantly, rising from 14% of ad impressions in 2024 to 25% in 2025. This indicates that both consumers and advertisers face increased risks when using online services that infringe on copyright.'
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