In-game advertising and video game monetisation platform Bidstack has secured $11m in funding, including a $6m investment from cybersecurity firm Irdeto. Irdeto entered the video games industry with the acquisition of anti-cheat software company Denuvo. The company’s suite of software products are used by a majority of leading console, PC, and mobile titles, creating extensive synergies with Bidstack’s growing developer and publisher network, and breadth of ad formats which now includes rewarded video in addition to in-game and in-menu ads.

"I am pleased to share that we have secured our first strategic investment, from Irdeto,” said Bidstack Founder and CEO, James Draper. “Irdeto, part of the Multichoice Group, is established as one of the world's leading cybersecurity businesses, with their gaming division Denuvo being trusted as a leading anti-cheat middleware across the world's most celebrated gaming platforms and franchises. Irdeto's positioning across the gaming and entertainment space will lead to many opportunities for our two companies to collaborate going forward as strategic partners."

Globally, the in-game advertising market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 11 per cent to 2030, from its current estimated valuation of $7.6 billion. This figure represents just under 1 per cent of the $850bn global advertising market, despite more than three billion people playing games on a daily basis.