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Amazon DSP integrates Microsoft Monetize SSP as preferred partner

Microsoft Monetize joins Amazon's Certified Supply Exchange program while Amazon DSP becomes migration path for Microsoft Invest users before February 2026 shutdown.

Luis Rijo

• 8 min read
Amazon Ads and Microsoft Advertising logos announcing DSP partnership and SSP integration
Amazon Ads and Microsoft Advertising logos announcing DSP partnership and SSP integration

Microsoft announced on October 7, 2025, that Amazon DSP will serve as the preferred transition partner for Microsoft Invest customers, while Microsoft Monetize has joined Amazon's Certified Supply Exchange program. The dual arrangement addresses Microsoft's February 28, 2026, deadline for shutting down its demand-side platform while creating a new supply path connection between the two companies' programmatic infrastructure.

The announcement arrives five months after Microsoft's May 2025 decision to exit the demand-side platform business. Advertisers who have not yet migrated from Microsoft Invest now have a designated transition partner, though the timing suggests many users likely began exploring alternative platforms months ago. The four-month window until the February 2026 shutdown represents a relatively compressed timeline for advertisers still operating on the platform.

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The Microsoft Monetize integration represents a notable shift in supply-side platform relationships. The supply-side platform, originally built as AppNexus SSP before AT&T rebranded it as Xandr Monetize in 2019, had not previously participated in Amazon's Certified Supply Exchange program. Microsoft and Xandr maintained a ten-year relationship that included both buy-side and sell-side components, but the Amazon DSP connection represents new programmatic infrastructure between the platforms.

Microsoft acquired Xandr from AT&T in June 2022, completing a deal first announced in December 2021. AT&T had purchased AppNexus in 2018 for $1.6 billion. Microsoft announced in May 2025 it would discontinue Microsoft Invest, citing a strategic shift toward "conversational, personalized, and agentic" advertising experiences.

Microsoft Monetize provides access to open internet ad inventory across over 100 countries where Microsoft maintains video and native supply. The Certified Supply Exchange program designation provides Amazon DSP advertisers with access to this inventory through preferred supply paths. The integration includes Amazon Shopper Insights packages that combine Amazon's shopping data with Microsoft Monetize inventory.

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The technical arrangement differs from simple supply-side platform connections. Certified Supply Exchange participants receive what Amazon characterizes as "preferred" status, which typically involves closer technical integration, deal curation capabilities, and access to Amazon's first-party data signals. Magnite became the first partner in the Certified Supply Exchange program in June 2024.

Amazon DSP's expansion of supply-side platform partnerships follows a pattern established throughout 2024 and 2025. The platform added Disney's Real-Time Ad Exchange in June 2025, Spotify's inventory in October 2025, and Netflix's programmatic access beginning in the fourth quarter of 2025. The Microsoft Monetize addition extends this supply footprint to Microsoft's publisher relationships.

For Microsoft Invest users who waited for official migration guidance or maintained platform operations during the transition period, Amazon DSP now serves as the designated alternative. Microsoft Invest customers across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions face platform transitions before the discontinuation date. Amazon Ads provides onboarding paths based on advertiser size, agency relationships, and service requirements. Support includes account representative engagement or ad tech activation partner programs with guided sessions for campaign setup and optimization.

Alan Moss, Vice President of Global Ad Sales at Amazon Ads, stated in the announcement: "We recognize that moving to a new media buying system is a change for the migrating advertisers. Amazon Ads is committed to making the transition seamless for Microsoft Invest customers."

Lynne Kjolso, Vice President of Global Partnerships and Retail Media at Microsoft Advertising, described the arrangement as industry collaboration: "We believe that partnership fuels progress. By fostering an environment of collaboration, we're delivering solutions that empower our customers and strengthen the industry as a whole."

The Microsoft Invest platform had maintained its position as what industry observers characterized as one of the more transparent demand-side platforms in programmatic advertising. Brian O'Kelley, co-founder of AppNexus, positioned the company as a transparency advocate, revealing in 2017 that AppNexus charged an average of 8.5% to sellers, lower than many competitors. In December 2018, AppNexus reworked publisher contracts to enable fee transparency for buyers, providing visibility into fees charged throughout programmatic supply chains.

Microsoft's decision to exit the DSP business created opportunities for other demand-side platforms. Jochen Schlosser, Chief Technology Officer at Adform, characterized the European programmatic advertising market as worth approximately €100 billion when discussing implications of the closure in May 2025. The delay in naming a preferred migration partner suggests advertisers had flexibility to evaluate multiple alternatives during the intervening months.

The timing of Microsoft's strategic shift coincides with broader industry consolidation trends. Major technology companies have increasingly focused resources on their owned inventory rather than open web opportunities. Connected television has emerged as a growth driver as streaming platforms expand advertising capabilities.

Supply path optimization has become a critical consideration for advertisers managing programmatic campaigns. The practice involves evaluating supply-side platforms, ad exchanges, and publisher connections to eliminate unnecessary technology fees and latency. Match rate losses between platforms typically range from 40% to 70%, making direct supply path connections valuable for maintaining data fidelity.

Amazon DSP reached 275 million monthly ad-supported customers in the United States as of October 2024. The platform's advertising revenue jumped 22% to $15.7 billion in the second quarter of 2025. The platform's technical capabilities include goal-based bidding, Performance+ optimization using machine learning, and modeled attribution for off-Amazon conversions. These features operate across display, video, and connected television formats.

Microsoft Monetize includes an ad server, supply-side platform, and yield analytics in a unified platform. The system processes all inventory and transaction types with demand channels. Publishers using Microsoft Monetize manage programmatic monetization while Microsoft handles technical infrastructure for ad delivery and optimization through real-time bidding processes.

The geographic scope encompasses markets with varying programmatic advertising adoption. North American markets demonstrate the highest programmatic adoption rates, with over 88% of US display ad spend flowing through programmatic channels. European markets face General Data Protection Regulation compliance requirements. Latin American and Asia-Pacific regions represent growth opportunities with expanding digital advertising infrastructure.

For advertisers who remained on Microsoft Invest pending official migration guidance, the transition involves technical requirements including campaign restructuring and interface adaptation. The four-month window between October 7, 2025, and February 28, 2026, provides limited time for platform transitions. The announcement did not specify whether migration support extends beyond the February 2026 deadline or address advertisers who already migrated to competing platforms during the five-month interim period.

Amazon DSP provides multiple onboarding paths. Enterprise advertisers typically receive direct account representative support. Mid-market advertisers may access ad tech activation partner programs. Self-service options remain available for advertisers meeting minimum technical requirements. The platform provides API access for agencies and technology partners requiring programmatic integration.

The Certified Supply Exchange program aims to create supply chain efficiency. The designation differs from standard supply-side platform connections through closer technical integration and preferred access to deals. Publishers using Microsoft Monetize gain additional demand access through Amazon DSP advertisers, while Amazon DSP users access Microsoft's open internet inventory.

The programmatic advertising industry continues addressing transparency challenges. Studies by the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers found approximately 49% of advertising dollars never reach publishers due to intermediary fees. The "unknown delta" represents money unaccounted for in supply chains, with demand-side platform spend typically 15% higher than what supply-side platforms record.

Amazon DSP holds Media Rating Council accreditation for display begin-to-render impressions and click-through reporting. The accreditation applies to third-party exchange transactions across desktop, mobile web, and mobile in-app environments, plus Fire TV within connected television environments. The platform offers modeled attribution for off-Amazon conversions for US advertisers.

Microsoft's advertising business crossed $20 billion in annual revenue across all businesses as of April 2025. Revenue growth exceeded expectations through third-party partnerships, rate expansion, and volume growth across Edge and Bing. Microsoft projects search and news advertising revenue growth in the high teens for upcoming quarters.

The announcement coincides with Microsoft's broader strategic pivot toward AI-powered advertising solutions. Kya Sainsbury-Carter, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft Advertising, stated in May 2025 that the company would "exclusively focus our buy-side advertising technology investments on the Microsoft Advertising Platform" starting in 2026. The selection of Amazon DSP as preferred partner rather than offering advertisers multiple equivalent options indicates a negotiated arrangement between the companies.

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Timeline

Summary

Who: Microsoft designated Amazon DSP as the preferred transition partner for Microsoft Invest customers who have not yet migrated. Microsoft Monetize joined Amazon's Certified Supply Exchange program. Alan Moss, Vice President of Global Ad Sales at Amazon Ads, and Lynne Kjolso, Vice President of Global Partnerships and Retail Media at Microsoft Advertising, made the announcement.

What: The arrangement creates two distinct integrations: Microsoft Invest customers who remained on the platform or followed Microsoft's official guidance receive transition support to migrate to Amazon DSP before the February 2026 shutdown, while Microsoft Monetize (formerly AppNexus SSP, formerly Xandr Monetize) becomes a preferred supply-side platform in Amazon's Certified Supply Exchange program, providing Amazon DSP advertisers access to Microsoft's open internet inventory with deal packages including Amazon Shopper Insights integration.

When: Microsoft announced the partnership on October 7, 2025, five months after announcing the platform shutdown. Transitions begin immediately for remaining Microsoft Invest users. Microsoft Invest will discontinue completely on February 28, 2026.

Where: The transition affects Microsoft Invest customers across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions who have not yet migrated to alternative platforms. Microsoft Monetize provides open internet ad inventory globally across over 100 countries where Microsoft maintains video and native supply.

Why: Microsoft's exit from traditional demand-side platform operations reflects the company's strategic pivot toward AI-driven advertising experiences. The partnership provides remaining Microsoft Invest customers with official migration guidance while expanding Amazon DSP's user base and supply-side relationships. Microsoft Monetize's inclusion in the Certified Supply Exchange program creates new supply path connections for Amazon DSP advertisers accessing open internet inventory combined with Amazon's first-party shopping data. The five-month delay between shutdown announcement and preferred partner designation suggests advertisers had time to evaluate alternatives independently.