Network API Market Size, Share and Trends 2025 to 2034

Network API Market Size and Forecast 2025 to 2034

The global network API market size accounted for USD 1.53 billion in 2024 and is expected to exceed around USD 72.14 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 47.02% from 2025 to 2034. The rising demand for the network API is attributed to allowing developers to access network capabilities and build apps that have the ability to communicate across networks.

Network API Market Key Takeaways

• North America held the largest share of the network API market in 204.
• Asia Pacific will show significant expansion over the forecast period.

How Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Changing the Network API Industry?

Integration of artificial intelligence into the network API market has a critical role to play in telecommunications, ensuring the security of vital infrastructure, providing data protection, and ethical considerations. According to Gartner, by 2026, there will be more than a 30% increase in demand for API will come from artificial intelligence and tools such as large language models. The involvement of GenAI as an algorithm in telecommunication enables computers to create new content from existing data.

• In January 2025, Mira Network, a provider of decentralized AI infrastructure for trustless verified intelligence, launched its test net adjacent to the next-generation suite of API marketing, a major milestone in securing the safety and efficiency of on-chain autonomous AI-driven transactions.

Market Overview

Network API (Application Programming Interface) is an interface that allows various applications to communicate with each other using a particular mechanism and protocols. It provides a standardized way for applications to withdraw analytics and statistical information from network components to meet customer demand based on technology use cases. The demand for network API was projected when the world’s largest operators, such as Ericsson, Telefonica, Orange, Reliance Jio, and many more, declared a new venture to sell network API on the global market. The network API market allows developers to access 5G networks to strengthen the telecom network capabilities, which leads to high speed, low latency, and security.

Network API Market Growth Factors

• Network API has the potential to adapt and create new revenue models by monetizing data when businesses sell access to their data sets, insights, or analytics, developers use API to drive to the company’s platform with the help of an app which increases usage, or sharing ad revenue by leveraging marketing efforts to a broader userbase.
• By controlling network components such as SDN controllers, network management systems, and network analytics, API helps with Software Define Networking (SDN). Additionally, API directs network traffic over the company’s hardware which boosts SDN.
• API enables network function virtualization (NFV) by facilitating the decoupling of network functions such as balancing and encryption from physical hardware. This helps in creating a more adaptable and programmable connectivity service.

Market Scope

Market Dynamics

Drivers

5G deployment

Telecom operators have greatly emerged with telcos monetizing their 5G investment and meeting customer needs. 5G deployment in the network API market allows developers to access 5G network capabilities that deliver new services and applications. Any service providers and enterprises are able to activate new possibilities and expose them through 5G API, which boosts the programmability and adaptability of connectivity services to cater to various needs. 

5G-equipped devices such as mobile phones are making use of network API for certain applications to boost functions and enable high-speed connectivity tiers. With the help of network API, developers have easy access to 5G capabilities received through service providers, this creates pathways for opportunities to develop an enhanced application and services, drive revenue, and benefit developers, service providers, and enterprises.

Restraint

Security framework

API is designed with security standards and protocols containing rules and guidelines to protect the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data exchanged between two systems through API. There are various aspects of security involved in API, including authentication, authorization, encryption, access control, and session management. The security protocols and standards secure API communication, offering an organization safe exposure to digital services to external developers. However, a poorly implemented security protocol has the potential to hinder the market growth.

Opportunity

Collaborative ventures

There are several growing factors to be witnessed in the coming future in the market. The factor with high venture and investment expectations is the collaboration between major service providers expanding the API capabilities through strategic partnerships. Greater collaboration creates tools that allow applications to interact directly with network infrastructure and control bandwidth allocation for security aspects. 

The integration of communication service providers (CSPs) is currently facilitating the rapid deployment of comprehensive GSMA Open Gateway based on the platform through the increasing involvement of pre-integrated solutions. Partnerships among leading enterprises are accelerating digital transformation for CSPs, helping them evolve in a rapidly advancing telecommunication landscape and seize opportunities in the growing network API market.

Asia Pacific: A Hub for 5G Revolution

Asia Pacific held a significant share of the network API market. The expansion of the market in this region is attributed to the substantial investment in 5G infrastructures and services. 5G technology is transforming industries and enhancing user experience in many regions, particularly in Asia Pacific. It is estimated that USD 227 billion will be invested by mobile operators by the year 2025. 

Countries such as China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong are the majority driving the deployment of 5G, which has resulted in significant advancement in multiple sectors. Hong Kong has improved its operational efficiency in maritime communication and enhanced safety. Thailand and Malaysia are dominant in digital transformation in manufacturing, achieving extensive levels of automation and efficiency.

Significantly Established North American Market: GSMA Program

North America is observed to witness robust growth in the network API market. The growth of this region is experienced majorly due to the United States being the largest mobile operator. North American industry players have an emerged emphasis on the GSMA initiative to bring the full potential of 5G connectivity. With the help of the GSMA Open Gateway program, the business is bringing new 5G services and use cases to the industry. 

There is a collaborative partnership in North America. The growing GSMA Open Gateway is greatly expanding in the U.S. The leading Operators in the United States, such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, are developing immersive uses of API in their applications. About 67 mobile operators have committed to the Open Gateway API Program; those operators account for around 75% of the world’s mobile by connection.

Network API Market Companies

• AT&T
• Cisco
• Deutsche Telekom
• Ericsson
• Nokia
• Orange
• Plivo
• Reliance Jio
• Singtel
• Telefonica
• Telstra Bharti Airtel
• T-Mobile
• Twilio
• Verizon
• Vodafone

Latest Announcements by Industry Leaders

• In September 2024, Yigal Elbaz, Senior Vice President, Network CTO, AT&T, said: “AT&T has been on a network transformation journey for many years, and our network has become a powerful platform for innovation.” He further adds, “We look forward to working with application service providers across developer ecosystems that can build innovative new solutions and co-create new areas of value for our customers through AT&T’s network.”
• Mr Yuen Kuan Moon, Group Chief Executive Officer, Singtel, said, “This unified platform and global eco-system will enable even more developers and businesses to leverage 5G quality networks to exploit API opportunities using GSMA’s open gateway principles. We look forward to helping even more enterprises and organizations in Asia to use network API solutions to drive growth and innovation through this timely collaboration.”   

Recent Developments

• In September 2024, 12 leading telecom operators joined Ericsson to create a new company aimed at bringing common network APIs. The leading telecom operators include América Móvil, AT&T, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Reliance Jio, Singtel, Telefonica, Telstra, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Vodafone. The venture will drive implementation and access to common APIs from multiple telecom service providers to a broader ecosystem of developer platforms.
• In June 2024, Nokia launched Network Exposure Platform (NEP), a new software offering that will expand and simplify the number of operator network APIs available to developers. NEP is the first implementation of the GSMA Operator Platform, a common platform exposing operator service and capabilities to developers in a ‘connect once, connect to many’ model.
• In February 2024, Verizon and Vonage collaborated to bring advanced 5G network APIs to developers. This joint innovation sets the way for future API development and distribution efforts between these two industry-leading companies. The aim is to offer seamless integration with business applications and productivity tools.

Segments Covered in the Report

By Geography

• North America
• Asia Pacific
• Europe
• Latin America
• Middle East and Africa