Net budgets for internet advertising in Bulgaria reached 138 million euros in 2025, compared to 117.1 million euros a year earlier. This represents a growth of 17.9%, according to the results of the AdEx 2025 study by IAB Bulgaria.
The data show not only an increase in investments, but also a change in the way advertisers allocate their budgets. The most serious growth is in social networks, where spending has increased by 38.5%. TikTok has made a significant contribution, for which the IAB reports a growth of 356%.
Video advertising also has a strong performance. Video display advertising budgets have increased by 43.7%, and investments in influencer marketing have increased by 24.5%.
The trend in Bulgaria follows the broader development of the European market. According to IAB Europe, investments in digital advertising in Europe have increased by 10.5% in 2025 to 131 billion euros, with video and advertising on social platforms being among the main drivers of growth.
“When we conducted the first IAB AdEx study 15 years ago, the industry united for more transparency and reliable data on the development of the online advertising market in Bulgaria“, commented Lazar Malakov, Customer Success Director at Aleph. According to him, the pace of change today is significantly higher due to the rise of TikTok, new advertising formats and the introduction of artificial intelligence.
Among the industries with the largest digital advertising budgets in 2025 are the hobby, fashion and sports sectors, retail chains, financial services, beverages and cosmetics. In total, eight leading sectors form nearly 80% of the reported budgets by industry.
According to data from the participating media companies, Coca-Cola Bulgaria is at the top of the index ranking of digital advertisers. It is followed by eFbet, DSK Bank, Kaufland Bulgaria and Vivacom. The ranking does not reveal the specific investments of individual companies, but shows their relative position compared to the other participants.
The growth of social platforms is also supported by the expanding advertising scope. Data from TikTok's tools show that the platform's potential advertising reach in Bulgaria has grown by about 463,000 people between the end of 2024 and the end of 2025, or by 21.4%.
The change in budget distribution is also creating new pressure on traditional online publishers. Irina Porruzian, CRO at Netinfo, commented that advertising investments are not disappearing, but are being redirected between different channels. This poses the need for media to develop not only their traffic, but also their own audiences, content and ways to reach consumers.
AdEx 2025 was prepared by IAB Bulgaria together with companies from the digital ecosystem. IPSOS was responsible for the independent collection and processing of the information, and Aleph participated in the preparation and analysis of the results. Netinfo is a strategic partner of the event. IAB Bulgaria points out that the study follows European and international standards for measuring the digital advertising market.