Mobile Ad Arbitrage Declines Slightly, but 16.2% of Global Inventory Still Resold

Event summary

  • Pixalate's Q1 2026 Mobile Seller Trust Index 2.0 shows 16.2% of global authorized mobile app inventory was resold through arbitrage, down 0.6 percentage points from Q4 2025.
  • Google AdExchange ranked as the top 'direct' seller in the US, with high SIVT/GIVT risks but less than 1% arbitraged inventory.
  • India, Mexico, and Australia saw the largest increases in the share of ranked SSPs that are primarily arbitrageurs, while South Korea, Singapore, and Brazil saw the largest decreases.
  • The index ranks over 200 open programmatic mobile app sellers across 100+ markets, differentiating between arbitraged and authorized publisher-direct inventory.

The big picture

The Q1 2026 Mobile Seller Trust Index 2.0 highlights ongoing challenges with ad arbitrage in the mobile app ecosystem, despite a slight improvement. The data underscores the need for greater transparency and trust in programmatic advertising, particularly as advertisers seek to minimize fraud and invalid traffic. The index's differentiation between arbitraged and authorized inventory provides a critical tool for buyers navigating the complex mobile ad landscape.

What we're watching

Arbitrage Trends
Whether the slight decline in arbitrage rates will continue or if certain regions will see further increases.
SIVT/GIVT Risks
How high SIVT/GIVT risks among top-ranked sellers like Google AdExchange will impact advertiser trust and spending.
Regional Dynamics
The pace at which countries like India and Mexico will address the rise in arbitrage activity and its impact on the global mobile ad market.