After all BTS members completed their military service, they announced on July 1 that the group would return with the full lineup in the following spring, including an album release and even launching a world tour—something fans have been anticipating for six years since their last large-scale, complete world tour, Love Yourself.
In a live broadcast, leader RM also mentioned that BTS and their staff had already held discussions regarding the album release and preparations for the world tour: "We will have the concerts. we're already having concert related meetings. Cause, next year's project will be our everything so we must prepare for it already. So we've been having meetings, preparing for the album, discussions on the styling, then our music."
Meanwhile, in individual live broadcasts from late September, the members mentioned that they had completed recording for the new album. In recent live streams by RM, Jimin, V, j-hope, and Jungkook, they have been teasing how good the new songs are, further exciting the fans.
Towards the end of 2025, global anticipation for BTS’s comeback intensified, drawing attention from both experts and the media. On the 28th, Im Do-young, a researcher at Daol Investment & Securities, issued a “buy” recommendation for HYBE shares with a target price of 420,000 won, believing that full-lineup BTS activities would soon be announced.
According to multiple sources, BTS is expected to release the album in March 2026 and start the official tour from late April. Mr. Im noted: "Considering BTS previously announced the 'MAP OF THE SOUL' schedule three months before the tour began, it is highly likely that the specific schedule will be revealed in January next year." Therefore, HYBE shares are expected to have attractive growth potential as early as December 2025.
In another article, FN News also predicted: "BTS’s 2026 world tour is expected to last eight months, from May to December, with 65 performances and a total au∂ιєnce of up to 4 million people. The average au∂ιєnce per show is expected to remain above 60,000."
Notably, the stock market predicts that this BTS tour alone could generate up to 1.4 trillion won (~957 million USD). Market attention is focused on the tour’s scale and pricing strategy.
Mr. Im analyzed: "If we include additional shows in Europe, the total number of shows in North αмєяι¢α and Europe could exceed 37. With recent major IP tours typically finishing around 60 shows, the BTS tour could easily surpαѕѕ 70 shows."
Meanwhile, the global Average Ticket Price (ATP) is forecasted to rise to approximately 270,000 won (185–190 USD). Ticket revenue alone is estimated at around 900 billion won (~615.5 million USD).
Revenue from merchandise (MD) is also noteworthy. Mr. Im emphasized: "Since this will be the first full-lineup tour in about four years, following ¢σνι∂-era restricted tours, MD revenue—especially with the renewed lightstick— is expected to increase significantly."
He continued: "Recently, HYBE has actively pursued MD strategies, such as opening pop-up stores in locations without concerts. Given BTS’s fandom has significantly higher spending power than other artists, the MD revenue growth effect will be very noticeable." Total tour revenue (tickets + MD) is projected at around 1.3–1.4 trillion won.
Billboard also dedicated an article to discuss the mαѕѕive revenue BTS is projected to generate with their full comeback in 2026. They also agreed that 2026 world tour would be the main revenue source. They also estimated approximately 65 shows across three major regions (North αмєяι¢α, Europe, and Asia), averaging 60,000 attendees per show, with the group potentially selling up to 3.9 million tickets.
However, at that time, Billboard αѕѕumed an average ticket price of around 150 USD, yet total ticket revenue was still estimated at 664.1 million USD—far surpαѕѕing the highest-grossing tour of 2024 by Coldplay (which earned 401 million USD from 3 million tickets).
Beyond ticket sales, Billboard reported that 47% of concertgoers purchased merchandise at the shows, and 68% continued to buy products online or at pop-up stores. Total merchandise revenue is projected at 352.7 million USD.
Meanwhile, The new BTS album is projected to sell at least 4 million copies within 12 months at an average price of 20 USD per copy, totaling 80 million USD. Adding streaming revenue (estimated at 9.22 billion streams—equivalent to 2022 levels), BTS could earn an additional 33.2 million USD from digital platforms alone.
The Billboard's report estimated BTS could earn 1.05 billion USD within 12 months from four main categories: touring, album sales, merchandise & licensing, and streaming revenue.
Although BTS has not yet officially returned, the public, media, and market are discussing them as if it were already 2026. These mαѕѕive figures and global anticipation for their historic comeback reflect their status as “21st-century pop icons” and their enduring influence despite the hiatus of K-pop superstars.
