News

Global Influencer & Creator Economy To Double Over Next 5 Years

According to Goldman Sachs, brand deals, platform payouts, and video advertising are expected to drive growth.

Published

3 years ago

April 25, 2023

global influencer and creator economy to double over next 5 years

According to Goldman Sachs, the influencer and creator economy market could double over the next five years, driven by a significant increase in digital media consumption and the rise of new technology.

With over 50 million individual creators, the total value of this market segment could rise to $480 billion by 2027, up from a current total of $250 billion.

influencer marketing forecast

“New platforms such as TikTok have emerged, while legacy platforms like Facebook and YouTube have also introduced new formats for sharing short-form video, live streaming channels and other forms of user-generated content,” says Eric Sheridan, Senior Equity Research Analyst, Goldman Sachs.

income sources for digital creators

Goldman Sachs expects influencer marketing, payouts from social platforms, and short-form video advertising to boost the growth of the creator economy, with the number of global content creators estimated to rise by 10-20% annually over the next five years.

Also Read: How To Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account

Social media creators and influencers earn a living by making endorsement deals with brands, through advertising revenue, and direct donations and subscriptions from followers. The Goldman Sachs report revealed that brand deals are now the primary source of creator revenue at about 70%, followed by ad sharing.

Digital platforms offering multiple ways to monetize creator content will continue attracting influential creators as competition intensifies due to economic uncertainty and rising interest rates, putting significant strains on funding and investment.

News

Syria Just Got Its First Super App Featuring Built-In Digital Payments

Built by UAE-based Syrian founders with the Ministry of Tourism’s backing, My Syria lands as visitor numbers more than double.

Published

5 days ago

August 1, 2026

Nour Nasir

syria just got its first super app featuring built-in digital payments

For most of the past decade, paying for anything in Syria with an international card was effectively impossible. Sanctions, a collapsed banking sector, and years of isolation left the country running on cash. That is what makes the launch of My Syria — the country’s first super app — more than a routine product announcement.

Developed by 121 Living, a company founded by four UAE-based Syrian entrepreneurs — Rami Kaiem, Feras Kaiem, Waseem Qudmani, and Kinan Madi — the app launched in Damascus on July 30 under the patronage of Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani. It bundles hotels, restaurants, transport, attractions, food delivery, and other lifestyle services into a single platform, currently offering eight services with plans to expand to more than 40 verified tourism and hospitality providers across the country.

Although the app already sounds enticing, the headline feature is its built-in payments. My Syria is the first platform in Syria to support cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — familiar tools for international visitors, and a route into the digital economy for local businesses that have long operated outside it.

my syria super app launch event

The launch rides on a sharp rebound for the troubled country. Syria’s tourism sector recorded 3.52 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 111 percent increase over the 1.67 million during the same period in 2025 — a mix of returning expatriates, regional visitors, and international tourists.

Also Read: This UAE Platform Wants To Replace Fashion Photo Shoots With AI

The Ministry of Tourism, which supported and supervised the app’s development, frames the launch as proof of concept for a wider strategy. “Digital transformation is one of the Ministry’s strategic priorities because it enables us to build a more competitive, connected and investment-ready tourism sector,” Al-Salhani said, inviting technology companies “globally, regionally and locally” to explore opportunities across the wider economy.

For 121 Living, this is phase one, with additional services and expanded geographic coverage planned. Whether a super app can flourish in a market still rebuilding its infrastructure is an open question, but for the first time in years, a visitor to Damascus can pay for dinner with their phone.