The global market value of digital rights management is expected to be USD 5,736.7 million in 2024. The market is expected to reach USD 18,102.3 million by the end of 2034 with a CAGR of 12.2%. The market was valued at USD 5,147.0 million in 2023.
Digital rights management (DRM) includes the technologies and protocols to save digital content from getting accessed illegally. These are used in order to provide access control, copyright safety and licensing agreements.
These are applied for different forms of digital media including ebooks, music, video and more. DRM solutions have the capabilities that allow marketers to assertively interact with the assets in their portfolio.
By integrating digital asset management with DRM, the internal users achieve the full visibility of available assets. As a result, DRM encrypts content and prevent unauthorized users from accessing the content without a valid authentication.
Global Digital Rights Management Industry Assessment
| Attributes | Key Insights |
|---|---|
| Historical Size, 2023 | USD 5,147.0 million |
| Estimated Size, 2024 | USD 5,736.7 million |
| Projected Size, 2034 | USD 18,102.3 million |
| Value-based CAGR (2024 to 2034) | 12.2% |
Digital rights management is a layer of protection for content creators. With the rise of digital content and consumption, piracy and unauthorized distribution is a real concern. By using DRM, content creators can mitigate this risk and protect their work.
When content creators put time, effort and resources into creating valuable digital content they should have control over how it’s accessed and used. DRM lets them define and enforce the terms under which users can access their content and get fair pay for their work and encourage more creativity.
The below table showcases the growth during the first half (H1) over the 2023 to 2033 period which is 12.7%. The other half (H2) shows the growth of 11.8% which presents the market representation over the period.
| Particular | Value CAGR |
|---|---|
| H1 | 12.7% (2023 to 2033) |
| H2 | 11.8% (2023 to 2033) |
| H1 | 12.3% (2024 to 2034) |
| H2 | 12.1% (2024 to 2034) |
Moving into the further period, from H1 2024 to H2 2034, the CAGR is expected to rise to 12.3% in the first half and grow relatively at 12.1% in the second half. In the first half (H1) the market witnessed a decrease of 40 BPS while in the second half (H2), the market showed an increase of 30 BPS.
Continuation of Rising Digital Content Consumption is Growing the Digital Rights Management Market
As more people turn to digital for entertainment, education and information, the need to protect intellectual property and secure distribution has never been greater. This is driven by high speed internet, smart devices and streaming services. With digital content easily available, content creators are at greater risk of piracy and unauthorized distribution.
DRM solutions provide a strong solution by enforcing copyright, managing user access and controlling how content is used and shared.
The financial impact of more content consumption is massive. The global streaming market will continue to grow and with that the potential for revenue loss due to piracy.
DRM systems help mitigate these risks by adding encryption, user authentication and license management to content. This secures revenue for content creators and keeps digital products exclusive.
The move to digital content has brought stricter regulations, so you need to comply with copyright laws and market standards.
These solutions provide access to those regulations by giving you tools to manage and monitor the distribution and usage of digital content so you can’t infringe on the law.
Emergence of Piracy and Intellectual Property Protection
The amount of piracy has increased due to the increase in the digital content in the form of music, movies, software and e-books. Piracy is the illegal copying and distribution of digital media that takes money away from content owners and distributors.
There is a high rise in piracy due to increased digital content in the form of music, movies and e-books. This illegal distribution devalues intellectual property so there’s less incentive to invest in new intellectual property. So piracy has to be tackled and the need to implement DRM systems that can protect digital assets and enforce licenses is crucial.
Unauthorized access and copying is the main objective of DRM. Digital content should only be consumed through paid customers or those who are authorized to do so. Protecting digital content from being pirated can be done using different DRM systems that use encryption, access controls and watermarking.
DRM lets content creators distribute their work in digital form with the knowledge that their rights and revenues are protected. This in turn means a more healthy and sustainable digital market that encourages innovation and investment in new content and services.
The global push for stronger IP laws and enforcement means the need for more advanced DRM solutions. Governments and industry bodies are recognizing the economic and cultural value of IP. This means content providers need to adopt more sophisticated DRM to comply with the law and to mitigate the risk of financial loss from piracy.
So the intersection of piracy deterrence and IP protection drives the ongoing improvement of the DRM and shapes the strategic priorities of digital content providers for a safe and prosperous digital world.
Laws and Regulations Around Digital Rights Management Might Hinder the Market Growth
Legal and regulatory risks are the principal barriers to DRM markets because they present a tangle of compliance that business must negotiate. Laws vary from territory to territory, for example, hamstringing any DRM provider’s ability to craft a solution that can be rolled out anywhere.
The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), contains for data protection and user consent that conflict with DRM technologies that, by definition, monitor and control access to digital works. In the USA., the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) establishes a safe harbor for DRM that, argue some, crosses a line in limiting innovation and fair use.
Overlaying all this, legal definitions and interpretations can be unclear, presenting uncertainty and the possibility of legal action. Fair use or fair DRM circumvention, for example, can be in the eye of the beholder, presenting exposure to lawsuits, claims, and enforcement. Privacy regulations, as well, are evolving and present another layer of compliance to complicate the deployment of any DRM solution that employs data about users or owners. (For one example, see the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).) For rights owners, this presents a tradeoff between maximizing the ability to monetize their works and IP and imposing too broad a set of restrictions that can shrink markets or fail to prevent piracy. For DRM solution providers, risks to doing business across territories are elevated, compliance is challenging, and the possibility of being excluded from key markets is real. For users, monetary, time, and privacy costs can accumulate rapidly.
The net result is a strong case for developing technologies that can address these matters at the root-cause level.
Regulators struggle to keep up with the speed of technology and so we have outdated or inconsistent regulations that don’t match the market. This lag creates regulatory gaps or overlaps and makes the compliance landscape even more complicated.
Companies have to invest heavily in legal expertise and compliance and take funds away from innovation and development.
Blockchain Integration to Emerge as an Opportunity in the Market
Blockchain technology has emerged in digital rights management (DRM) because it offers a secure, transparent and decentralized approach to content distribution and intellectual property protection.
Long standing issues with traditional DRM infrastructure like piracy, unauthorized distribution and revenue leakage are addressed by blockchain technology because of its decentralized and immutable nature. Tracking and managing digital assets throughout their entire lifecycle from creation to payment across different industries can be easily addressed by blockchain technology.
Another major advantage of using blockchain technology in DRM is the possibility of devising smart contracts that automate licensing agreements and royalty payments which cuts down on administrative costs and ensures that content creators and producers are fairly paid for their digital creations.
Rights representation and enforcement can be made flexible and efficient by smart contracts which alter terms of a contract based on pre-agreed conditions, events or states. Transparency offered by blockchain technology allows everyone to verify and check transactions and ownership of digital assets which reduces friction and builds trust.
The global digital rights management industry witnessed a CAGR of 11.4% during the historical period between 2019 and 2023. The industry reached the value of USD 5,147.0 million in 2023 from USD 3,339.3 million in 2019.
During Covid-19, the market grew at a significant rate due to a surge in digital content consumption. As the restriction increasing due to the lockdowns and social distancing, the demand of streaming services, online gaming, digital publishing and remote work tools.
Meanwhile, the market is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 12.2% during the period between 2024 and 2034. The market is expected to grow swiftly as it has a potential to reach a value of USD 18,102.3 million in 2034 from USD 5,736.7 million in 2024.
Post Covid-19, more and more people continued to stick to remote work. Meanwhile, the streaming, online learning and digital reading is continuing to rise, which is directly increasing the demand of digital rights management.
Tier 1 companies includes those companies which are market leaders in digital rights management. These companies holds the very strong portfolio regarding digital rights management. The companies in the 1st tier holds about 25%-30% of global market. The companies in the tier includes adobe, apple, microsoft and others.
Tier 2 companies includes those companies which are actively looking to increase their market share in the digital rights management market globally. These vendors are constantly working on improving their product portfolio. These companies holds 15%-20% share in the mentioned market. The companies in the tier include verimatrix, cisco and others.
Tier 3 companies are the companies which are still trying to achieve stability in the market or these companies might be established recently. These companies hold around 35%-40% share in the market. These companies are primarily focuses on partnerships and their product portfolio. The companies in the tier include irdeto, nagra and others.
Below section includes the analysis of several countries in the regions covered in the report. The analysis provides the overall developments in the countries to give an idea of the market.
| Country | Value CAGR (2024 to 2034) |
|---|---|
| USA | 13.1% |
| Brazil | 11.2% |
| India | 17.5% |
| Germany | 12.4% |
| China | 15.9% |
Germany has a solid legal framework for intellectual property protection. The country has strict copyright laws and regulations that require advanced DRM to comply and protect digital content. Germany’s strong digital economy with a big focus on media, entertainment and software industry drives the demand for DRM.
Germany’s focus on innovation and technology adds to the DRM demand. The country has many tech companies and startups that are building and implementing advanced DRM. Plus the growing use of cloud and IoT in German businesses requires good DRM to protect digital assets and sensitive data.
Another important factor is consumer awareness and demand for high quality as well as secure digital content. German consumers value data privacy and security so content providers need to implement strong DRM to meet this expectation. And with remote work and digital education, the importance of protecting digital content has become even more apparent and investments in DRM are increasing.
As per Germany Media Control Association, the government is targeting to minimize the piracy in the country by 70% by 2027.
Moreover Germany’s strong trade relationships and being a top technology and digital content exporter makes it necessary to have a comprehensive DRM solution to protect intellectual property globally. With a supportive legal framework, a growing digital economy, technological innovation and high consumer expectations makes Germany a big growth market for DRM.
Several major market players are accelerating a quickly growing digital rights management (DRM) market in the USA The country has a long standing and very mature system of law to protect intellectual property (IP) rights.
Laws such as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) offer a very good framework for enforcing DRM solutions, and support the activities of rights holders within the content creation and distribution supply chains to safeguard their digital products from piracy and illegal consumption.
The US contains the largest participants in the global media and entertainment industry. Hollywood and the major record labels dominate the worldwide digital content market, and the digital content market is also vibrant and very successful.
The explosion in streaming video services such as Netflix, Hulu and Disney+ is creating an incredible demand for DRM to protect all this video content delivered via the internet.
Technologically the US contains the greatest number of innovators and early adopters. According to a survey conducted by USA Data Protection Committee, more than 45% user would watch shows and movies through piracy websites due to high prices of subscriptions and tickets. Silicon Valley and other US tech hubs are offering state of the art DRM solutions which utilize artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, to offer the most secure content distribution and rights management enforcement systems in the market today.
A rapid adoption of cloud computing and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies is also occurring. Both of these markets need advanced DRM solutions to protect and deliver digital content to the vast number of internet connected devices.
India presents some unique growth factors for the Digital Rights Management (DRM) market. Primarily, India has a fast-growing digital landscape, with growing internet users and smartphone adoption, resulting in consumption of digital content at a faster rate. From entertainment to shopping and education to gaming, the demand for DRM to safeguard digital assets and intellectual property is high.
Though still at early stages, the regulatory framework in India is tilting towards enforcement of intellectual property and digital rights. With applicable laws and regulations like Copyright Act and Information Technology Act, the legal structure for DRM is getting stronger.
Businesses are thus prompted to invest in efficient DRM solutions to meet regulatory compliance and to safeguard digital assets and licensing from piracy.
As an additional factor, Indian businesses and content owners are becoming more aware about the need for intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement, hence promoting DRM solutions.
With the recognition by businesses that digital assets and licensed content are valuable resources to be leveraged for optimal monetization, the investment in DRM to restrict illegitimate access, distribution and piracy of content is also increasing.
Digital Rights Management Software to Dominate the Digital Rights Management Market in terms of Value
| Component | Value Share (2024) |
|---|---|
| Digital Rights Management Software | 63.5% |
The digital rights management software segment continues to hold around 64% market share as the companies are looking to implement these solutions in order to protecting digital content from unauthorized access and distribution. The software offers flexible and personalized solutions customized to the specific needs of content creators and distributors.
According to FMI analysis, 70% of end-users will look to deploy end-to-end DRM solutions by 2027. The software is designed to expand with the rising needs of companies and adapt to innovative environments.
The software supports interoperability with traditional content management systems, streaming platforms as well as digital distribution channels, which enables easy integration and deployment across various infrastructures and devices.
| Deployment | Value Share (2024) |
|---|---|
| Cloud-based DRM | 57.2% |
Cloud-based DRM solutions are having the large market share of around 58% globally. Cloud-based DRM allows businesses to adjust their resources according to the demand. These types of solutions can be scaled up or down, according to the fluctuations in demand. This makes the cloud-based solutions quite attractive for the businesses.
Cloud-based DRM is expected to grow at a high CAGR of 14.2% over the forecasting period of 2024 to 2034.
| End-Use Industry | Value Share (2024) |
|---|---|
| Media & Entertainment | 28.5% |
Media & Entertainment dominates the global digital rights management industry with around 29% market share. The rising popularity of streaming services is driving the market growth, with high demand of on-demand streaming, online music and digital publishing.
DRM protects the rights of artists and record labels, which ensures they receive the paid views through proper license and usage tracking.
Key players ruling the digital rights management market are focusing on making partnerships with content creators. The companies are also expanding their global reach for tapping the market that has yet to be dominated by other vendors.
Recent Industry Developments in Digital Rights Management Market
In terms of component, the industry is segmented into digital rights management software and digital rights management services.
In terms of deployment, the industry is segregated into Cloud-based DRM and On-premises DRM.
The industry is classified by healthcare, BFSI, government, media & entertainment, retail and others.
Key countries of North America, Latin America, East Asia, South Asia & Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Middle East and Africa (MEA) have been covered in the report.
The global digital rights management industry is projected to witness CAGR of 12.2% between 2024 and 2034.
The global digital rights management industry stood at USD 5,147.0 million in 2023.
The global digital rights management industry is anticipated to reach USD 18,102.3 million by 2034 end.
South Asia & Pacific is set to record the highest CAGR of 15.6% in the assessment period.
The key players operating in the global digital rights management industry include adobe, Microsoft, apple, oracle among others.
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Digital Rights Management Market
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