Walmart+ recorded its highest net-new paid membership growth for a first half of the year in the program's six-year history, according to Walmart.

The retailer also reported that revenue from global membership fees grew 17% in the second quarter of this year. Walmart shared both figures as evidence that the monthly subscription service is maturing into a more valuable growth engine, alongside other fast-expanding businesses such as advertising and data.

What does Walmart+ actually sell?

In the U.S., the membership bundles a concrete set of logistics and entertainment benefits:

• Free delivery on orders over $35
• Free next-day and two-day shipping from Walmart.com
• A choice of a free subscription to Paramount+ or Peacock
• Gas discounts
• Additional discounts and perks

Why the growth matters

The membership surge shows Walmart converting its scale in physical retail into recurring, subscription-based revenue. Membership fees now sit beside advertising and data as businesses that grow faster than the core retail operation, according to the company.

The perk-stacking strategy — delivery, streaming, fuel savings — mirrors the playbook that built Amazon Prime into a loyalty moat. Walmart's record first-half numbers suggest the approach is gaining traction six years after launch, and the 17% fee-revenue growth in Q2 indicates existing members are holding as new ones sign up.

For brand marketers, a larger Walmart+ base deepens the retailer's first-party data pool and strengthens the advertising business that Walmart is building alongside it. The trajectory positions membership as a pillar of Walmart's next phase of growth rather than a simple delivery perk.