What Acceptable Ads Exchange does

Acceptable Ads Exchange (AAX) was a programmatic advertising exchange that enabled automated buying and selling of nonintrusive Acceptable Ads inventory through real-time bidding. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Atlanta, the platform operated as a subsidiary of eyeo — the company behind the AdBlock browser extension and the Acceptable Ads standard — and connected digital publishers with advertisers and agencies seeking access to a user demographic characterized as young, well-educated, and tech-savvy. The platform managed monetization for over 15 billion ad impressions per month and served the majority of Top 100 Comscore publishers.

In 2023, AAX merged with Blockthrough, another eyeo subsidiary, to form a single business unit operating under the Blockthrough name within the eyeo group. The combined entity, legally Blockthrough US, LLC, consolidates programmatic monetization capabilities for Acceptable Ads users and provides enterprise-level ad monetization services to publishers while offering brands and agencies access to a distinctive nonintrusive ad inventory. Revenue is generated through transaction fees on programmatic ad exchanges serving publisher supply and advertiser demand globally.

Following the merger, AAX operates as part of the unified Blockthrough entity, with 11-50 employees focused on streamlining product roadmaps and optimizing revenue performance for publishers participating in the Acceptable Ads ecosystem. The go-to-market is sales-led, targeting enterprise publishers, advertisers, brands, and agencies through direct relationships and B2B industry channels.

Name

Acceptable Ads Exchange

Legal name

Blockthrough US, LLC

Website

https://aax.media

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Acceptable Ads Exchange (AAX) is a programmatic advertising exchange that monetized nonintrusive Acceptable Ads inventory for digital publishers. Founded in 2017 and merged with Blockthrough in 2023, it operates within the eyeo group, managing 15+ billion monthly ad impressions and serving major publishers and advertisers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Programmatic Advertising Revenue: Revenue generated through programmatic monetization of Acceptable Ads inventory, charging publishers for ad serving and monetization services. Operates as a programmatic advertising exchange facilitating real-time ad transactions between publishers and advertisers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Acceptable Ads Exchange (AAX) operates a programmatic advertising monetization platform that enables publishers to monetize their digital inventory through nonintrusive Acceptable Ads served via real-time bidding (RTB) and programmatic exchanges. The platform connects publishers (supply) with advertisers, brands, and agencies (demand), managing over 15 billion ad impressions per month and serving the majority of Top 100 Comscore publishers. Following the 2023 merger with Blockthrough, the entity operates under the Blockthrough name within the eyeo group.

Product overview

Acceptable Ads Exchange (AAX) operates as a programmatic advertising monetization platform that merged with Blockthrough in 2023. The combined entity, operating under the Blockthrough name within the eyeo group, provides programmatic solutions for monetizing Acceptable Ads—nonintrusive advertisements served to consenting users. Together, AAX and Blockthrough manage over 15 billion ad impressions per month, serving a network that includes the majority of Top 100 Comscore publishers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Acceptable Ads Exchange (AAX) Programmatic Monetization Platform A B2B programmatic advertising exchange platform for digital publishers that enables monetization of nonintrusive Acceptable Ads inventory through real-time bidding and automated ad transactions; serves publishers, brands, and agencies with 15 billion+ monthly ad impressions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Manage over 15 billion ad impressions per month
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BlockthroughcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Blockthrough and Acceptable Ads Exchange (AAX) merged in 2023 into a single business unit under eyeo group. The strategic merger combines strengths of both companies to build the most advanced programmatic solution for Acceptable Ads monetization, serving publishers and advertisers at unprecedented scale.
• eyeocoreOthersAAX was a subsidiary of eyeo. Following the 2023 merger with Blockthrough, the combined entity operates under the eyeo group. eyeo is the parent company providing strategic oversight and ecosystem support for Acceptable Ads monetization solutions.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• TripleLift: TripleLift runs a programmatic native advertising exchange and SSP, comparable to AAX as an exchange-style monetization layer serving premium publishers and demand partners.
• Sovrn: Sovrn operates a publisher-first ad exchange and SSP (formerly bidswitch/publift ecosystem) monetizing mid-to-large publishers through programmatic and direct deals, a strong comparable in technology and customer profile.
• Magnite: Magnite (formerly Rubicon Project + Telaria) is the largest independent omni-channel SSP, monetizing CTV, video, and display for enterprise publishers, making it a comparable programmatic exchange peer in scale and publisher focus.
• Pubmatic: Pubmatic is a public supply-side platform and programmatic exchange serving large web publishers with header bidding, private marketplaces, and curated inventory, directly comparable to AAX/Blockthrough's SSP/exchange model for Top 100 Comscore publishers.
• Index Exchange: Index Exchange operates a global, transparent programmatic ad exchange focused on premium publisher supply and header bidding, closely mirroring AAX's exchange-style monetization of high-quality inventory.
• OpenX: OpenX runs a programmatic ad exchange and SSP with significant publisher-direct inventory and curation capabilities, comparable to AAX/Blockthrough's programmatic monetization offering for web publishers.

Broad incumbents

• Xandr (Microsoft): Xandr, now part of Microsoft, is a broad programmatic ad exchange and SSP with curated marketplaces, overlapping AAX's publisher monetization but at much larger scale across CTV and digital.
• Criteo: Criteo operates a global commerce and programmatic ad exchange with SSP capabilities post-IPONWEB acquisition, broadly comparable to AAX's exchange model though focused on retail/commerce demand.
• Google Ad Manager: Google Ad Manager (AdX) is the dominant walled-garden ad exchange and SSP serving the largest set of publishers, representing the primary incumbent competitive threat AAX positions against.

Others

• Prebid.org: Prebid.org maintains the open-source header bidding infrastructure (Prebid.js/Server) that powers many SSP integrations including AAX-class exchanges; an ecosystem enabler rather than direct competitor but deeply tied to exchange economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aaxmedia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Acceptable Ads Exchange