Brand Licensing Market Size, Share, & Industry Analysis Report 2034

Brand Licensing Industry Prospective:

The global brand licensing market size was worth around USD 304.15 billion in 2024 and is predicted to grow to around USD 490.73 billion by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 4.90% between 2025 and 2034.

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Brand Licensing Market: Overview

Brand licensing refers to the act of leasing a brand or trademark for use to another party with the aim to promote, generate sales, or improve awareness. Brand licensing occurs when a company provides permission to another organization to use its intellectual property, such as a logo, likeness, name, signature, slogan, character, or other elements that hold enough value. Brand licensing involves two parties: the licensor and the licensee. The former owns the brand, while the latter obtains permission to use the brand with their offerings or products. In this type of strategic arrangement, both parties tend to benefit. For instance, the licensor is rewarded with a part of the sales that the licensee registers when a product with the logo is sold.

On the other hand, the licensee gains more customer trust and generates awareness, which translates into improved revenue. The licensee can significantly reduce in-house costs by leveraging brand licensing policies. According to market research, the brand licensing industry is expected to deliver exceptional results during the forecast period. The increasing need for businesses to globalize and tap into broader consumer groups will fuel market expansion. However, licensing of brands is a complex procedure involving tedious legal procedures that may impact future market growth rates.

Key Insights:

• As per the analysis shared by our research analyst, the global brand licensing market is estimated to grow annually at a CAGR of around 4.90% over the forecast period (2025-2034)
• In terms of revenue, the global brand licensing market size was valued at around USD 304.15 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 490.73 billion by 2034.
• The brand licensing market is projected to grow at a significant rate due to the increasing efforts by brands to tap into global consumer markets.
• Based on the type, the apparel segment is growing at a high rate and will continue to dominate the global market as per industry projections.
• Based on the application, the entertainment segment is anticipated to command the largest market share.
• Based on region, North America is projected to dominate the global market during the forecast period.

Brand Licensing Market: Growth Drivers

Increasing efforts by brands to tap into global consumer markets will fuel industry expansion

The global brand licensing market is projected to benefit from the increasing efforts by popular brands to further expand their business operations. Global companies across industries, including sports & entertainment, food & beverages, and others, are seeking new ways to diversify their revenue streams. New income sources allow companies to cushion the impact of economic downfall that can be caused by multiple factors.

For instance, the rising geopolitical tensions worldwide and changing trading relationships among global economies can impact smooth business operations. Revenue stream diversification minimizes financial risk for brands and organizations. In addition, brand presence across global platforms is a strategic way of improving business profits. Brand licensing allows organizations to reach new consumers with minimal investment in advertising or marketing, especially for their core intellectual property. Furthermore, licensing a brand offers the licensor an opportunity to leverage a more effective alternative to brand extension, which can be more time and resource-consuming.

Increasing strategic partnerships between brands and food & beverage companies will influence positive market revenue

Brand licensing strategies have penetrated the food & beverages (F&B) sector, as they have helped involved stakeholders generate more revenue. The rapid expansion of brand licensing techniques among food or beverage-producing companies will further prove beneficial in the long term.

In May 2025, Mattel and Little Spoon announced a new partnership. The former is a US-based company specializing in modern baby food and kids' nutrition, while the latter manufactures popular toys. The companies have partnered to launch a new, limited-edition line of Barney-themed smoothies offering a combination of nostalgia from the 90s and on-the-go convenience. The global brand licensing market witnessed several other such partnerships in the last few years.

Brand Licensing Market: Restraints

Legal exhaustiveness and complexities concerning brand licensing to limit market growth

The global brand licensing industry is expected to be limited by the exhaustiveness of legalities associated with the licensing of brands, especially when partnerships occur across borders. Legal complications in ensuring that the interests of all associated stakeholders are respected can be challenging. In the case of poorly drafted legal contracts, brands are at risk of compromising IP rights in the form of loss of brand control and royalty disputes.

Brand Licensing Market: Opportunities

Ongoing expansion of the e-commerce sector to generate further growth opportunities for the market players

The global brand licensing market is expected to generate growth opportunities due to the rising expansion of the e-commerce industry. Online display and sale of products have allowed brands to partner with licensees to reach an even broader audience.

On the other hand, companies licensing popular brands can improve revenue as more consumers are likely to identify the brand across online spaces and make a purchase. The ongoing expansion of the e-commerce sector worldwide, with major companies such as Alibaba, Amazon, and other regional players investing heavily in the sector, can help the market for brand licensing thrive in the future.

Surging partnerships in the sports & entertainment sector to open new avenues for expansion

The sports & entertainment industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors. It has led to increased brand licensing partnerships and collaborations in the sports, movie, gaming, and music segments across the globe. As of 2021, Disney, one of the world's largest entertainment and media companies, which owns popular Marvel characters such as Captain America and the Hulk, earned nearly USD 10 billion solely from brand licensing. The growing population of celebrities from the sports & entertainment sector will open new avenues for further licensing partnerships.

Brand Licensing Market: Challenges

Rising concerns over the sale of counterfeit products to challenge market expansion

The global brand licensing industry is expected to be challenged by the growing concerns over the sale of counterfeit products. There are several product sellers across the globe participating in the unauthorized use of the IP of other brands. This is especially applicable in countries with lenient regulatory measures against brand counterfeiting.

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Brand Licensing Market: Report Scope

Brand Licensing Market: Segmentation

The global brand licensing market is segmented based on type, application, and region.

Based on the type, the global market segments are toys, apparel, accessories, home decoration items, software/video games, food & beverages, and others. In 2024, the apparel segment experienced the highest growth, accounting for nearly 29% of the total revenue. During the projection period, it is expected to deliver a CAGR of 5.3% according to research. The increasing demand for logo-printed apparel is fueling the segmental revenue.

Based on the application, the global market divisions are sports, fashion, corporate trademarks/brands, entertainment, and others. In 2024, the entertainment segment generated the most significant revenue, accounting for over 39% of the total sales. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.35% during the forecast period. The rising popularity of movie and cartoon characters is propelling segmental expansion.

Brand Licensing Market: Regional Analysis

North America to dominate the market during the forecast period

The global brand licensing market is expected to be driven by North America during the forecast period. In 2024, the region accounted for nearly 36% of the global revenue and is expected to deliver a CAGR of 4.5% during the projection period. One of the primary reasons for higher regional market expansion is the tremendous popularity of celebrities from the sports & entertainment industry.

In May 2025, UFC, the world’s leading mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, announced a partnership with PMI Kids’ World, a global toy company. The organizations have partnered to launch a new range of collectibles in the form of the UFC Punching Bag Capsules. The product will be available across Walmart stores in the US.

In March 2025, Logo Brands announced the extension of its licensing agreement with the National Basketball Association (NBA). The collaboration indicates a strong will by the companies to sell authorized fan gear to basketball fans in the US. The presence of strict laws against counterfeiting and the sale of fake goods has further helped the regional industry thrive in the last few years.

Brand Licensing Market: Competitive Analysis

The global brand licensing market is led by players like:

• The Pokémon Company International
• The Walt Disney Company
• Dotdash Meredith
• NBCUniversal / Universal Products & Experiences
• Mattel
• Procter & Gamble
• The Electrolux Group
• The Hershey Company
• Authentic Brands Group
• Paramount Global
• Warner Bros. Discovery
• Bluestar Alliance
• WHP Global
• Hasbro
• Caterpillar Inc.

The global brand licensing market is segmented as follows:

By Type

• Toys
• Apparel
• Accessories
• Home Decoration Items
• Software/Video Games
• Food & Beverages
• Others

By Application

• Sports
• Fashion
• Corporate Trademarks/Brand
• Entertainment
• Others

By Region

• North America
  • The U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • France 
  • The UK
  • Spain
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • South Korea
  • Southeast Asia
  • Rest of Asia Pacific
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Rest of Latin America
• Middle East & Africa
  • GCC
  • South Africa
  • Rest of Middle East & Africa