Duanju's ReelShort platform aims to reach $1 billion by 2026

ReelShort is expected to surpass the $1 billion revenue mark in 2026, a level that marks a significant shift for the duanju outside of China. According to an analysis by Media Partners Asia (MPA) cited by Deadline, Variety, and Screen Daily, the platform operated by Crazy Maple Studio is projected to reach approximately $1.05 billion in revenue this year, a 34% increase.

The financial results are also evolving. After a loss of approximately $12 million in 2025, ReelShort is expected to generate nearly $40 million in net profit in 2026. The platform would thus transition from a very costly audience acquisition phase to a model capable of generating profits on a large scale.

This development comes as the global duanju market outside of China continues to grow rapidly. MPA estimates its revenue at $3.6 billion in 2026 and forecasts a market of $9.5 billion by 2031. ReelShort is expected to account for approximately 29% of this market, ahead of DramaBox with 21%, DramaWave with 13%, NetShort with 10%, and GoodShort with 6%.

This ranking provides a measure of market concentration. The five platforms alone account for a significant share of duanju revenue outside of China. These five also appear in Duanju.news' tracking of the top apps in this format, although rankings based on downloads or app store positions reflect a different reality of revenue.

ReelShort's growth is largely due to better control of marketing expenses. The platform is also developing distribution agreements with telecom operators, notably AIS in Thailand and Globe in the Philippines. These partnerships allow duanju to be integrated into distribution environments already used daily by millions of subscribers.

For viewers, this evolution strengthens access to the format on mobile without relying solely on user acquisition through social media advertising. Content can be distributed directly through operators, their mobile offerings, and their digital ecosystems. Distribution thus becomes an integral part of the business model, just like the production and monetization of episodes.

The case of ReelShort comes at a time when major players in the sector continue to increase their revenues. In 2025, Sensor Tower already estimated ReelShort's in-app purchase revenue at $130 million in the first quarter, compared to $120 million for DramaBox. Their cumulative revenues since launch had reached $490 million and $450 million, respectively.

The dynamics remain competitive, however. More recent data from Apptopia shows that ReelShort retains nearly 30% of in-app spending in duanju, despite a decline in its share of daily active users. DramaBox is experiencing a similar trend, while new players are gaining ground in downloads and audience share.

ReelShort's anticipated return to profitability provides a precise financial indicator for a market previously measured primarily by downloads, audience size, and acquisition costs. The duanju outside of China has now reached a sufficient size that the central question is no longer solely one of its growth, but also of the platforms' ability to convert that growth into profits.