Ted Sarandos, Netflix co-CEO, announced plans for the streaming giant to become a trillion-dollar company by 2030 through expansion beyond streaming. Speaking at Semafor’s 2025 World Economy Summit on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, Sarandos revealed Netflix will open retail spaces in Philadelphia and Dallas, launch Broadway shows, and create experiential content to grow revenue and diversify its business, according to TechCrunch.
Netflix’s Current Position and Growth
Netflix currently captures only 5% of consumer spending in the global entertainment market (worth over $600 billion) and accounts for just 10% of total TV watching time. The company has 301.6 million paid subscribers and has tripled its market value (the total worth of all company shares) in five years.
| Financial Metric | 2019 | 2024 | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $20.2 billion | $39.0 billion | Nearly doubled |
| Net Income | $1.9 billion | $8.7 billion | 4.5 times increase |
The company projects 2025 revenue between $43-44 billion, representing an 11-13% increase over 2024. First quarter revenue for 2025 reached $10.54 billion, showing steady growth.
Beyond Streaming: New Business Ventures
Netflix is expanding beyond traditional streaming with several new experiences to attract more customers and create additional revenue:
- Netflix House – Retail spaces opening in Philadelphia and Dallas in 2025 with dining and attractions based on popular shows
- Broadway shows – “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” debuted in March 2025
- Retail products – Surfer Boy Pizza from Stranger Things is now Walmart’s top-selling frozen pizza
These ventures aim to leverage Netflix’s popular shows and characters to create new ways to make money beyond monthly subscriptions.
Global Challenges and Economic Impact
Netflix has no direct presence in China due to strict government rules about content, missing out on reaching 1.4 billion potential viewers. Instead, the company licenses some content to Chinese platform iQIYI and focuses on growth in other regions like Taiwan.
The company has contributed $125 million to the US economy from 2020-2024 and created 140,000 production jobs. Netflix’s strategy of making authentic local content has successfully created global hits.
Netflix’s ambitious plan shows how streaming companies are evolving beyond just showing TV and movies. By creating physical spaces, live shows, and products based on their popular content, Netflix aims to become more than just an app on your TV – transforming into a complete entertainment company that touches many parts of people’s lives.
