Where are global podcast–listeners in 2025?
Podcasting continues its rise as a global media staple. New 2025 data from YouGov Global Profiles explores which markets are most tuned into the format, revealing where the medium has become mainstream—and where growth opportunities remain.
Across 49 global markets, 41% of consumers say they spend at least one hour per week listening to podcasts. Nearly one in ten (9%) spend more than 10 hours per week listening, showing the format’s growing influence in everyday media consumption.
The chart below highlights the share of regular podcast listeners—defined as those who listen for one or more hours each week—in each surveyed market.
Asia-Pacific: A hotspot for podcast engagement
Asia-Pacific is home to some of the most engaged podcast audiences globally. Indonesia leads the region with 59% of consumers listening at least an hour per week, followed closely by Thailand (54%) and India (54%).
Vietnam (48%), the Philippines (43%), Taiwan (42%), and Hong Kong (42%) also show strong listener bases. Malaysia (40%) and Australia (35%) are slightly below the global average, while Singapore (31%) and Japan (11%) round out the region with lower levels of regular listenership.
Europe: Broad but varied adoption
Podcast listening in Europe spans a wide range. Romania tops the list at 47%, with Sweden (42%), Spain (41%), and Ireland (40%) also above the global average.
A number of other European markets show moderate levels of podcast consumption, including Hungary (39%), Norway (38%), Slovakia (38%), and Poland (38%). At the lower end, Belgium (22%), the Netherlands (27%), and France (27%) report smaller shares of regular listeners.
Latin America: High interest, especially in Mexico
Podcasting is thriving in parts of Latin America. Mexico stands out with half of consumers (50%) listening at least an hour per week. Brazil (44%) and Colombia (41%) also show strong engagement. Argentina, however, reports a smaller listener base, with 28% saying they listen for one or more hours weekly.
Middle East and Africa: Leading the global pack
Countries in the Middle East and Africa consistently top the global podcasting chart. South Africa (66%) has the highest share of regular podcast listeners among all markets surveyed.
Saudi Arabia (60%), the United Arab Emirates (57%), Egypt (52%), and Morocco (45%) also report high engagement. Lebanon (33%) is the only country in the region with below-average listenership.
North America: Stable but split
In North America, the United States reports a podcast listenership rate of 38%, just below the global average. Canada trails with 31% of consumers tuning in for an hour or more each week.
Global overview: A medium with global reach—and untapped potential
Podcasting continues to expand its global footprint, with especially high engagement in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. While adoption levels vary significantly by region, the format has clearly established itself as a key part of modern media consumption in many parts of the world. For content creators and marketers alike, these insights point to both thriving audiences and opportunities for further growth.
Methodology
YouGov Global Profiles is a globally consistent audience dataset with 1,000+ questions across 49 markets. The data is based on continuously collected information from adults aged 18+ in markets including Great Britain, the US, Australia, India, and the UAE. Sample sizes for Global Profiles fluctuate over time, but always meet a minimum of c.1,000 respondents per market. All markets use nationally representative samples, except India and the UAE, which use urban representative samples. Data reflects responses collected over the previous 12 months.