Latin America’s media landscape is being reshaped by a new crop of entertainment producers, as short-form platforms, often with business ties to China, take a growing share of the region’s video streaming market.

According to market intelligence firm sensor tower‘2026 State of Mobility Report Demand for short dramas is driving “a tectonic shift in consumer attention,” with such content booming in Latin America, according to a report released last week.

Globally, downloads of short drama platforms surged 186% year-on-year, reaching 733 million times in the fourth quarter of 2025, surpassing video streaming platforms such as short dramas. Netflix According to the report, the number of Disney+ users is 658 million.

short play, also known as “micro” or “mini” television series, refers to vertically shot television series whose episodes are usually no longer than three minutes in length.

“The appeal of skits is their ability to convey emotional intensity and excitement, which is why the format is so popular,” said Tang Wenjia, a researcher at the University of Sydney’s Department of Media and Communication.

First popularized in China on short-form content-sharing apps like Douyin (TikTok’s sister app) and Kuaishou, short dramas have gained international traction, with popular platforms like ReelShort and DramaBox now producing content dubbed in English, Spanish and French.

Tang told CNBC that while skits are increasingly expected to achieve a higher level of production quality and professionalism, their original narrative style has been largely retained – providing light-hearted, low-involvement entertainment that doesn’t require deep thinking and prolonged attention.

Seema Shah, vice president of insights at Sensor Tower, said such content is often “easier to digest” for consumers who are used to watching short-form content like TikTok videos and Instagram videos, rather than long-form content from streaming platforms like Netflix.

Sensor Tower reports that while consumption of short-format content has risen significantly globally, Latin America is “becoming the fastest-growing region for engagement with these videos.”

Shah said that downloads of the top 20 short drama apps in Latin America will increase by approximately 402% year-on-year in 2025, based on a year-on-year increase of 4,300% in 2024.

Not only do the vast majority of Latin American users consume entertainment content on their mobile phones, but there is also a strong similarity between short dramas and dramas. soap opera – Maria Rua Aguete, head of media and entertainment at research firm Omdia, a telenovela genre popular in Latin American countries.

ReelShort is owned by Crazy maple studiois a content creation and distribution company founded in San Francisco in 2017. Despite having offices in Silicon Valley and Los Angeles, Crazy Maple Studio is COL Digital Publishing Group – a Chinese media group.

Likewise, although formal Led by Singapore-based Storymatrix Pte. DramaBox’s content remains the intellectual property of China’s Dianzhong Technology, according to one company. Copyright infringement claims The company filed a lawsuit against Crazy Maple Studio in 2025.

ReelShort and DramaBox are part of a slew of entertainment companies vying for a share of Latin America’s growing video streaming market.

Omdia estimates that total revenue generated by the Latin American market will grow by 9.1% between 2024 and 2025, more than three times the revenue growth in the United States during the same period. This growth is expected to accelerate to 10.7% by 2026.

Shah said Latin America’s growing middle class is driving demand for short-form video streaming as well as retail and ride-sharing services.

The skit platform isn’t the only beneficiary of the growing Latin American market. The region is also a significant source of revenue growth for streaming giants such as Netflix, with Latin America recording the fastest revenue growth on a currency-neutral basis, based on Q4 2025 data earnings report.

While downloads of short-form platforms have begun to outpace long-form providers, experts don’t believe these new short-form video streaming platforms pose a credible threat to market leaders like Netflix.

“Not now, and that’s not what they’re targeting. They’re targeting a different audience, and the way they make money is different,” Tang told CNBC.

Omdia’s Rua Aguete said that while short-form platforms have lower production costs and can produce content at a higher rate than traditional studios, their business models often depend on advertising revenue and pay-per-view revenue, which does not necessarily translate into higher profits.

Omdia estimates that by 2026, the total revenue of all short-form streaming platforms outside China will reach $3 billion. By comparison, Netflix’s revenue in the fourth quarter of 2025 was $12 billion.

Still, as demand for short-form content continues to grow in Latin America and beyond, these platforms are likely to create an increasingly diverse video streaming market.

“I don’t think short-format apps will completely replace streaming. However, they pose additional competition for consumers’ attention and money,” said Sensor Tower’s Shah.