Criteo reports 9% growth in media spend to $1.2 billion in Q3 as ChatGPT Ads expands to 89 markets

The commerce media company reported $416 million in revenue and $65 million in adjusted EBITDA, while expanding its CTV, retail media and AI-led advertising footprint

by e4m Staff
Published: Nov 5, 2026 10:53 AM | 2 min read

Criteo reported $416 million in revenue for Q3 2026, with net revenue (Contribution ex-TAC) at $240 million, reflecting growth in CTV, retail media, and AI-led advertising channels.
Total media spend on Criteo's platform reached $1.2 billion, a 9% increase year-on-year, while adjusted EBITDA was $65 million.
The company expanded its OpenAI integration from seven to 89 countries and reported a significant campaign success with Turkish Airlines using Prompt Smart Ads, achieving a 183% increase in site landings.
Criteo is enhancing its Performance CTV offering globally, with plans to launch in Brazil and Mexico by the end of 2026, and is also advancing retail-media automation with more than 95 retailers now using auction-based display.

Criteo reported $416 million in revenue in Q3 2026, with Contribution ex-TAC, or net revenue, at $240 million, as the commerce media company continued to expand across CTV, retail media and AI-led advertising channels.

Total media spend on the platform reached $1.2 billion, up 9% year-on-year, while adjusted EBITDA stood at $65 million. Retail Media Contribution ex-TAC was $51 million, with underlying growth of 10% excluding previously announced scope reductions from two retail clients. Performance Media Contribution ex-TAC stood at $189 million.

One of the quarter’s most notable developments was the expansion of Criteo’s OpenAI integration from seven to 89 countries in three months. The company said average spend per client on ChatGPT Ads is increasing modestly, while its Prompt Smart Ads capability is being used to tailor messages to intent expressed within conversations.

A Turkish Airlines campaign using Prompt Smart Ads generated a 183% increase in site landings from ChatGPT Ads and 15% more time per visit, according to the company.

Criteo is also expanding its Performance CTV offering globally after early traction in the US. Brazil and Mexico are due to launch by the end of 2026, followed by markets including Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Australia in 2027. Its CTV opportunity pipeline has doubled over the past three months.

In social, both media spend and campaign volumes grew around 20% year-on-year during the quarter.

Criteo is also pushing deeper into retail-media automation. Auction-based display is now live with more than 95 retailers, double the number at the beginning of the year, while auctions now account for more than half of onsite display campaigns. The company expects display spend to grow close to 50% this year.

The company added PayU in India among its new retail partners, alongside Notino, El Puerto de Liverpool, ONIGO and Adore Beauty.

For advertisers and agencies, the quarter shows Criteo pushing beyond conventional commerce media into AI conversations, CTV and agency-native workflows. All major agency holding companies are now testing its Model Context Protocol capabilities, which connect Criteo reporting, audience creation and selected campaign operations into agencies’ own AI tools.