License Global publishes 2026 Top Global Licensors whitepaper
License Global has released its 2026 Top Global Licensors whitepaper, providing an overview of the global brand licensing industry and highlighting the leading companies based on retail sales of licensed consumer products during 2025. According to the report, the participating licensors generated a combined $338.33 billion in retail sales, representing an increase of $33.38 billion (10%) compared with the previous year.
The world's largest licensors
The report ranks The Walt Disney Company as the world's largest licensor with an estimated $63 billion in retail sales, followed by Authentic Brands Group with $36 billion and People Inc. with $27 billion. Other companies in the top ten include NBCUniversal, Hasbro, The Pokémon Company International, Warner Bros. Discovery, Bluestar Alliance, Sanrio, and Mattel.
According to License Global, the top ten licensors generated $228.55 billion in retail sales during 2025, compared with $208 billion the previous year. Over the last five editions of the report, the combined retail sales of the current top ten licensors have exceeded $1 trillion, reflecting the continued growth and resilience of the global licensing industry.
Consumer demand for licensed products
The whitepaper also highlights the factors driving consumer demand for licensed products, including the ability of brands to help consumers express their interests, passions, and personal identities. License Global states that the report serves as a benchmark for the licensing industry by compiling financial data submitted by brand owners worldwide through an annual survey.