Global data consumption hit a major new high in 2024 – here’s why

Global data consumption is up 15% YoY, 113% in five years, DE-CIX report claims
2024 traffic stood at 68 exabytes, a staggering amount of data
Sporting events and video gaming are responsible

Global data traffic hit a new record of 68 exabytes in 2024, marking a considerable 15% jump from 2023’s 59 exabytes, a report from a major data handler has claimed.

New figures from DE-CIX show overall traffic has more than doubled since 2020, when the pandemic caused millions of workers to be sent home and adopt new hybrid and remote working patterns.

In 2020, global data traffic stood at just 32 exabytes – now, DE-CIX says five years later, we’ve seen 113% growth, as consumption subsequently rose to 38 exabytes in 2021, 48 exabytes in 2022, and 59 exabytes in 2023.

Global data traffic rise

To put it into perspective, 2024’s 68 exabytes of data, exchanged across 3,400 global networks, would equate to a stack of paper 20 times higher than Mount Everest if printed. The same amount of data equates to streaming a high-definition video for two million years continuously.

The company also noted the impact of the UEFA Champions League and video gaming on internet traffic, with 2024 peaking at 24.92 terabits/second on November 20 to coincide with multiple game launches.

Although gaming accounted for the largest share of traffic in 2024, peaking in the third and fourth quarters, video conferencing also saw a post-summer uptick with hybrid working as the ‘new normal’ despite tech giants’ best efforts to bring people back into the office.

The data comes specifically from DE-CIX, the world’s leading Internet Exchange operator, which operates 60 locations across Europe, North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

The news comes shortly after Cloudflare announced similar findings, claiming global internet traffic rose 17% year-over-year. Its study emphasized Google’s dominance of both the browser and the search markets, while also exploring the prevalence of artificial intelligence and social media.

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