If you thought your biggest connected television problem in 2026 was frequency capping or explaining incrementality to the CFO, think again. According to Truthset’s latest data accuracy
report, a sizable chunk of CTV spend is quietly evaporating thanks to inaccurate identity and audience data.
U.S. connected TV ad spend is projected to hit $38 billion in 2026. Roughly $18.4 billion flows through open auctions. And based on Truthset’s analysis, as much as 40% of that open-web CTV spend may be wasted because of faulty data inputs. That pencils out to an estimated $7.4 billion in lost value.