- 22. August 2017

Is LATAM Leading the Way for the Ride Sharing Economy?

Despite US origins, Uber has achieved greater reach among mobile users in two Latin American countries than in the US. In this post we examine Uber’s global footprint, and highlight the impact of selected competitors in other regions.

Uber % Reach among Mobile Users (with selected competitors)

Snapchat reach

The sharing economy has been making global headlines in recent years, with ride sharing -- and Uber in particular – driving much of the conversation. New global reach data from Comscore Mobile Metrix gives a clear view on how this sector is penetration several international markets. Key findings include:

  • The US does not lead the way in terms of Uber’s reach, although it forms a front-running group, along with Brazil and Mexico, in which more than 1 in 10 mobile users accessed the service in June 2017. The presence of a noteworthy local competitor (Lyft) contributes to the US market not ranking atop this list for Uber.
  • India and Indonesia are large, competitive markets, with Uber achieving its 4th and 5th largest reach figures, despite the presence of competitors that reach a similar or larger percentage of the mobile population.
  • Growth challenges vary between geographies, with large local competitors in places like Malaysia and India, and lower overall adoption of the sector in mainland Europe, often due to strong or competitive traditional taxi infrastructure.

We will revisit this category later in the year to understand how competition drives broader market adoption.

Source: Comscore Mobile Metrix, June 2017.