BTS’s long-awaited full-group world tour, set for 2026, is already creating huge buzz—not just with fans but also in the financial world. Analysts say the tour won’t just be big. It may be one of the most profitable tours ever by a K-pop act.
According to Daol Investment & Securities, the biggest surprise won’t be the number of concerts or the size of the venues. It will be the ticket prices. BTS is expected to set new price records, driven by massive global demand.
Researcher Lim Do Young from Daol Investment & Securities says the tour could generate up to 1.3 to 1.4 trillion KRW in total sales. That includes both tickets and merchandise. He kept his investment rating for HYBE at “BUY,” with a target stock price of 420,000 KRW.
Tickets alone may bring in around 900 billion KRW, thanks to a sharp rise in the global average ticket price (ATP). Lim stressed that the key number to watch is ATP. Since the tour is expected to be mostly in stadiums, ticket prices are expected to jump.
- Global average ATP: around 270,000 KRW (higher than the market expectation of 250,000 KRW)
- North America ATP: about $220 USD
These prices are considered realistic. BLACKPINK already reached an average of $248 on their ongoing world tour, Deadliner. Even BTS members’ (SUGA, j-hope, Jin) solo tours crossed $200, which shows fans are willing to pay premium prices.
Based on reports, BTS’s 2026 tour will be massive.
- Over 30 shows in North America
- More than 37 shows in North America + Europe combined
- Final total could land in the early 70s
This makes it one of the biggest K-pop tours ever.
It will be BTS’s first full-group tour since before the pandemic. Their “MAP OF THE SOUL” tour was canceled due to COVID-19. Fans have been waiting more than four years, which explains the huge demand and high expected pricing.
Merch (MD) is also expected to become a major revenue source. With the group performing together again, fans are ready to spend more.
HYBE has been strengthening its MD business with renewed ARMY Bomb (lightstick), more pop-up stores, and MD expansions beyond concert venues.
Analysts believe BTS fans’ purchasing power will have a clear impact on HYBE’s sales growth.
Securities reports point to a clear schedule for BTS’s return:
- January 2026: Tour schedule announcement
- March 2026: Full-group album release
- Late April 2026: Tour kickoff
Analysts also believe the anticipation will start affecting HYBE’s stock price as early as late December 2025.
HYBE has confirmed that discussions about BTS’s 2026 activities are ongoing. The company also emphasized that its dependency on BTS is “not high as before.” This is due to the growth of other HYBE artists (KATSEYE, TXT, LE SSERAFIM, NewJeans, SEVENTEEN, ENHYPEN, CORTIS, and more).
The label has expanded operations in other countries and opened branches in China and India this year. They launched new business ventures such as strong IP brands like BT21 and TinyTAN, to generate global revenue. These help HYBE remain stable even when BTS is not actively promoting.
