LONDON: YouTube is rounding off its 20th anniversary year with the launch of “Recap,” a new personalized review of users’ viewing habits available to audiences worldwide, including in the Middle East and North Africa.
The feature coincides with the release of YouTube’s end-of-year trending lists, which track the creators, songs and cultural moments that defined 2025 on the platform.
Positioned as YouTube’s answer to Spotify Wrapped, Recap is being used by the company to showcase what it describes as “MENA’s pulse” — from AI and collectible toys to K‑drama and football stars — through regional viewing trends.
“The trending topics across MENA for 2025 highlight a uniquely diverse and globally-attuned audience,” said Javid Aslanov, head of YouTube MENA.
Among this year’s top topics are artificial intelligence, viral plush toy Labubu, Netflix’s Korean hit “Squid Game,” which returned with a third season eariler this year, Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal, and Roblox horticulture game “Grow a Garden,” which spiked in popularity after a mid-year update.
