Many consider supply-path consolidation a yardstick for the maturation of ad tech; indeed, it has been a buzzword for the sector since the late 2010s, as programmatic advertising became the default means of allocating digital ad budgets. But recent findings demonstrate that actual effectiveness requires sustained pressure. The Association of National Advertisers released its Q2 2025 Programmatic Transparency Benchmark earlier this month, highlighting ongoing inefficiencies in the digital advertising supply chain despite some progress. According to the report, approximately $26.8 billion in global programmatic media value is still lost annually due to factors such as redundant supply paths, measurement gaps, and low-quality inventory.