Performance Marketing Insider: Walmart Buys CTV Ad-Technology Firm

June 23, 2026 - 21:46

Walmart has acquired a connected TV advertising technology firm, marking a significant step in the evolution of its retail media network. The move, announced Tuesday, allows the retail giant to sell more ad space across streaming television platforms, positioning it to compete more directly with other major players in the digital ad market.

The purchase underscores how retail media networks are increasingly crossing into the connected TV space. Walmart already operates one of the most sophisticated retail media operations in the industry, using customer purchase data to help brands target shoppers. By adding CTV ad technology, the company can now extend those targeting capabilities to streaming video environments, where viewers are harder to reach through traditional commercials.

This strategy lets Walmart offer advertisers a more complete package. Brands can run a TV-style ad on a streaming service, then measure whether that ad led to a sale in a Walmart store or on its website. That kind of closed-loop measurement is rare in the broader ad industry but has become a key selling point for retail media networks.

The deal comes as more retailers build out their own ad businesses. Amazon, for example, has long sold ads across its platforms and recently expanded into streaming with its Prime Video service. Walmart's acquisition signals that it intends to keep pace, using technology to bridge the gap between what people watch and what they buy. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.