Roku Is Entering Argentina - What Does It Mean for Local Industry Stakeholders?

Smart TVs has a strong foundation in Latin America - usage has been consistently high, driven by growing demand for streaming and digital content. As Roku enters Argentina, it brings more than a new device to market. Here are our observations from their entrance into the Latam markets.

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Roku’s experience in Latin America

Roku is not new to the region. It’s been active in Brazil and Mexico for many years, where it has built partnerships with both manufacturers and content providers. The company no longer operates only as a device maker but its operating system is integrated directly into Smart TVs from several leading brands. 

Roku's growth in Brazil and Mexico highlights how the platform adapts to local dynamics. 

In Brazil, Roku benefited from a large base of Smart TV users eager for simplified streaming options. By partnering with manufacturers like AOC and bringing on key local content players, Roku quickly became a competitive alternative to more established platforms. It succeeded by offering a straightforward user interface, strong support for free and paid content, and reliable performance on affordable hardware.

In Mexico, Roku's integration with both global and regional OTT services proved equally successful. According to Roku’s shareholder letter, as of December 2024, Roku is the number one TV streaming platform by hours streamed. Collaborations with local broadcasters and niche streaming services allowed it to gain relevance quickly. Its ad-supported content model resonated well in price-sensitive segments, helping it scale without relying solely on paid subscriptions. In both countries, Roku’s lightweight technical requirements made it attractive to content providers who needed to optimize development resources while expanding reach.

These experiences show that Roku can localize effectively, build a strong content mix, and support monetization models suited to different economic conditions — all of which are likely to be important in Argentina as well.

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Navigating Argentina’s market challenges

That said, Argentina poses unique challenges, despite recent signs of economic improvement. Roku has entered the market through partnerships with brands like Noblex and AOC, offering both streaming sticks and Roku TVs. While positioned as an affordable, user-friendly gateway to OTT content, the platform faces a tougher environment. Macroeconomic volatility—particularly inflation, currency fluctuations, and strict import regulations—can impact distribution and pricing. In addition, entering several years after Mexico and Brazil means Roku is stepping into a more mature OTT landscape, where entrenched players to some extent have shaped consumer habits and expectations.

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What does Roku’s entrance mean for industry stakeholders in Argentina?

Despite the hurdles, Roku’s simplicity and flexibility could make it a strong fit for the Argentinian market. The platform is very mature and proven, integrates quickly, and supports a wide range of content formats and has quickly become an integrated part of the OTT ecosystems in both Brazil and Mexico and it’s likely that story will replicate itself also for Argentina.

Roku’s entry into Argentina won’t transform the market overnight. But it does reinforce the long-term shift toward Smart TV platforms and app-based viewing. For telecom operators and content providers, this is the moment to consider how Roku fits into their broader strategy — and how quickly they can act to capture the opportunity it presents.

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Accedo’s experience with Roku

At Accedo, we’ve supported Roku rollouts in Brazil and Mexico for major streaming services like GloboPlay, Universal+, +SBT and more than 100 Roku apps globally. Roku typically offers an easy-to-use interface that resonates well with consumers, along with streamlined deployment, technical consistency, and strong engagement metrics These qualities help our clients expand reach and drive measurable value from the platform.

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