License Global 2026 Top Global Licensors: Retail Sales Reach $338.33B, Up 10%
On July 30, 2026, License Global, the Informa Markets media brand behind Licensing Expo and Brand Licensing Europe (BLE), released its annual Top Global Licensors whitepaper, powered by SEGA[cite: 1]. The report ranks 94 brand owners by 2025 calendar-year retail sales of licensed merchandise. Combined retail sales reached $338.33 billion, up 10% year on year, an increase of $33.38 billion, and above $300 billion for the second consecutive year[cite: 1]. For brand owners, IP holders, and importers sourcing custom plush, the data confirms that licensed product demand is still expanding.
Release Highlights and the Top 10
The Top 10 licensors together generated $228.55 billion in licensed retail sales in 2025, up from $208 billion in 2024[cite: 1]. Disney has held the No. 1 position every year since the report debuted in 1998[cite: 1].
| Rank | Licensor | 2025 Retail Sales |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Walt Disney Company | $63B |
| 2 | Authentic Brands Group | $36B |
| 3 | People Inc. | $27B |
| 4 | NBCUniversal | $20B |
| 5 | Hasbro | $17.55B |
| 6 | The Pokémon Company International | $15.7B |
| 7 | Warner Bros. Discovery | $15.5B |
| 8 | Bluestar Alliance | $13B |
| 9 | Sanrio | $11.7B |
| 10 | Mattel | $9.1B |
Entertainment and media remained the largest licensing category at $178.51 billion[cite: 2]. Toys and games were named an opportunity category by 52% of the brand owners surveyed[cite: 4].
Notable Moves in the 2026 Ranking
Sanrio rose from No. 10 to No. 9 at $11.7 billion, and Pokémon climbed to No. 6 with $15.7 billion[cite: 4]. Both are character-driven properties with plush at the core of their product mix.
Consumer data in the report shows Gen Z now accounts for 27% of licensed merchandise purchases, passing millennials at 26%, while Gen Alpha already holds 15%[cite: 4]. License Global also released anti-counterfeiting findings with Crane Authentication: counterfeit products can erode as much as 25% of a company's annual revenue[cite: 1].
Ten companies joined the ranking for the first time, including Peanuts Worldwide, Ford, Ocean Spray, and COVER Corporation, the parent company of VTuber agency hololive[cite: 1]. Amanda Cioletti, vice president of content and strategy for Informa Markets' Global Licensing Group, presented the whitepaper[cite: 1].
What It Means for Custom Plush Buyers
What does the 2026 Top Global Licensors report mean for custom plush sourcing?
Double-digit growth in licensed retail sales expands the base demand for IP plush programs. Brand owners that are growing licensed merchandise need manufacturing capacity for custom plush tied to brand and IP licensing, and this ranking shows that budgets are moving in that direction.
Four points stand out for buyers and their suppliers:
- Character plush demand. Sanrio's climb in the Top 10 and Pokémon's rise confirm that character plush lines are a growing retail category[cite: 1].
- Gen Z pricing room. With Gen Z as the largest buying generation, collectible and design-led plush can support premium price points[cite: 4].
- Anti-counterfeit value. The 25% revenue erosion figure is a concrete sales argument for authorized manufacturing paired with authentication add-ons such as labels and traceability[cite: 1].
- Order timing. Toys and games rank among the top opportunity categories, and BLE (October 6-8) opens the next licensing season. Buyers placing plush programs before the show secure production slots ahead of the peak window[cite: 5].
The same licensing demand extends to mascot costumes for brand events and retail activations, where character visibility drives foot traffic. As licensors push into toys and games, buyers that lock in production capacity early avoid peak-season delays.
For a quote on licensed character plush or mascot costume production, contact our team.
Sources
- [1] GlobeNewswire, "License Global Releases 2026 Top Global Licensors Whitepaper Featuring Disney, Authentic Brands Group, People Inc." (July 30, 2026). https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/07/30/3336001/0/en/license-global-releases-2026-top-global-licensors-whitepaper-featuring-disney-authentic-brands-group-people-inc.html
- [2] Licensing Magazine, "License Global Releases 2026 Top Global Licensors Report" (July 30, 2026). https://www.licensingmagazine.com/2026/07/30/license-global-releases-2026-top-global-licensors-report/
- [3] Spielwarenmesse, "License Global Publishes 2026 Top Global Licensors Whitepaper" (2026). https://www.spielwarenmesse.de/en/mag/toy-market-news/license-global-publishes-2026-top-global-licensors-whitepaper/
- [4] License Global, "Top 150 Leading Licensors" (2026). https://www.licenseglobal.com/rankings-lists/top-150-leading-licensors
- [5] Brand Licensing Europe, Official Event Site (2026). https://www.brandlicensing.eu/
