World Data Lab Reveals That Nearly Half of Global Spending Happens Within Just Three Time Zones

Vienna, Austria 13th November 2025 - Of the planet’s projected $65 trillion in total consumption in 2025, equivalent to $168 billion per day, or $7 billion per hour, nearly 50% occurs in just three time zones: Eastern Standard Time (US East Coast), Central European Time, and China Standard Time. Expanding to six zones, with the addition of Central Standard Time (US Midwest), Pacific Standard Time (US/Canada West Coast), and Japan/Korea Standard Time, covers nearly ¾ of global spending. The findings highlight a dramatic reimagining of the global consumer landscape: understanding when consumers are active is just as critical as knowing where they are.

By 2040, Asia will dominate global demand, with China, India, and Southeast Asia adding more than one billion new consumers and trillions in spending. The China Standard Time zone, covering China, the Philippines, Malaysia, and parts of Indonesia, is projected to become the world’s highest spending time zone through the addition of 260 million people to the consumer class and $13 trillion in new spending.

Today, China Standard Time accounts for about 14% of global consumption ($8.7 trillion). By 2040, the Indian Standard Time zone will add 639 million new consumers and $7 trillion in additional spending, while Eastern Standard Time will remain a powerhouse with $21.8 trillion in spending.

Wolfgang Fengler, CEO of World Data Lab, said:

“Too often, global business strategies count people or money, but they overlook when those people are active. Billions in spending occur during specific time-zone ‘rush hours.’ This applies particularly to the digital industry, where timing defines engagement. For the first time, companies can map the daily rhythm of the world’s consumer economy, and act on it. Timing has become a new frontier for global strategy.”

World Data Lab’s time-zone spending analysis offers a powerful new framework for businesses to plan launches, campaigns, and infrastructure based on when their audiences are most active and most valuable.

Key implications for business include:

• Advertising & Media Planning – There is no single global “prime time.” Aligning ad delivery with regional peak spending windows maximizes ROI.
  
  
• Streaming & Live Events – Scheduling around time-zone overlap can expand audience reach; for example, a replay at 20:00 China Time can attract hundreds of millions more viewers across Asia.
  
  
• E-commerce & Payments – Online transactions surge when major time zones overlap (e.g., noon ET / 18:00 CEST), underscoring the need for real-time payment resilience and global scaling.
  
  
• Global Strategy & Market Entry – With Asia driving the fastest consumer-class growth, knowing when these consumers are active is crucial for launch and engagement success.
  
  
• Infrastructure & Operations – Understanding global “consumption rush hours” helps optimize supply chains, staffing, and customer support in an increasingly 24-hour economy.
  
  

While much spending remains local (such as groceries, transport, or dining) the digital economy operates globally and continuously, rewarding businesses that synchronize with the world’s consumption rhythm. 

By visualizing consumption across time zones, World Data Lab provides a new lens to understand and engage the world’s 5.6 billion consumers, a number growing fastest in Asia.

About World Data Lab
World Data Lab is a global data enterprise dedicated to producing the most consistent and credible estimates for global spending, demography, and development. Through its proprietary modelling tools and insights, WDL helps companies, governments, and organizations navigate the shifting landscape of consumer demand and economic growth.

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Anne Mason