Who owns Fortnite: Epic Games, Inc.; Tim Sweeney (founder, CEO) controls Epic; The Walt Disney Company 8% ($1.5B, 2024); Sony $1B invested (2022); KIRKBI (LEGO family) $1B invested (2022) (Epic Games (2022); Disney fiscal 2024 Form 10-K).

Who Owns Fortnite? Epic Games and Tim Sweeney (2026)

Updated October 2026 · reviewed for today
In short

Fortnite is owned by Epic Games, Inc., a private company controlled by its founder and CEO Tim Sweeney. When Sony and KIRKBI (the LEGO family’s holding company) each invested $1 billion in 2022, Epic said it still had a single class of common stock and remained controlled by Sweeney. Among outside investors, Disney discloses its stake: its fiscal 2025 annual report shows an 8% interest in Epic valued at $1.6 billion as of 27 September 2025.

Who Owns Fortnite? Epic Games and Tim Sweeney: hand-drawn explainer by The Business Engineer
Drawing by The Business Engineer.

Who owns it

01
Epic Games owns the game
Fortnite is developed and published by Epic Games, Inc., which is privately held, so its full shareholder list is not public.
02
The founder keeps control
In its 2022 funding announcement Epic said it had only one class of common stock outstanding and remained controlled by Tim Sweeney.
03
Minority investors
Sony and KIRKBI each put in $1 billion in 2022 at a post-money valuation of $31.5 billion. Disney invested $1.5 billion in fiscal 2024 and reports an 8% interest.
04
How the money comes in
Fortnite is free to play; revenue comes from in-game purchases. Epic also licenses Unreal Engine and runs the Epic Games Store.

What changed in 2025-26

Disney's stake, updated

Disney’s annual report for fiscal 2025 lists an 8% interest in Epic Games at $1.6 billion as of 27 September 2025 (the fiscal 2024 report valued it at $1.5 billion), and describes a multi-year project with Epic announced in fiscal 2024 (Disney, 2025).

The App Store ruling

On 30 April 2025 a US federal court found that Apple had violated the 2021 injunction won by Epic and barred Apple from charging any commission on purchases made outside an app, as Apple’s own annual report records (Apple, 2025). For Fortnite, which earns its money from in-game purchases, payment rules on phones are a direct business issue.

Control unchanged

None of the disclosed investments gave an outside company control: Epic’s 2022 statement on a single class of stock controlled by Sweeney is the latest ownership statement from Epic used here (Epic Games, 2022).

Why the ownership matters

A founder-controlled private company can take long legal fights and long-term bets, such as building a creator platform on Unreal Engine, without public-market pressure on each quarter.

Disclosed holders of Epic Games

Tim Sweeney (founder, CEO)
What is disclosedControls Epic; single class of common stock
Source and dateEpic Games, 2022
The Walt Disney Company
What is disclosed8% interest, $1.6 billion
Source and dateDisney 10-K, as of 27 Sep 2025
Sony Group
What is disclosed$1 billion invested
Source and dateEpic Games, 2022
KIRKBI (LEGO family)
What is disclosed$1 billion invested
Source and dateEpic Games, 2022

What it means for you

  • Builders: Epic's tools and Fortnite's creator platform belong to a founder-led private company, so terms can change quickly without a shareholder vote.
  • Investors: there are no Epic shares to buy; Disney and Sony are listed companies with small, disclosed exposure.
  • Brands: Fortnite partnerships are negotiated with Epic, not with its investors.
  • Operators: watch app-store payment rules; they shape how much of each in-game purchase reaches the developer.
  • Read ownership claims by date: Epic's last statement on control is from 2022, Disney's figure from September 2025.
The Business Engineer lens

Epic shows how a founder can raise billions from media and hardware giants while keeping control, and use that freedom to fight platform owners. The Business Engineer view is that control of the distribution layer, not only the game, decides who keeps the margin.

Read: From the App Store to AI Interfaces, with Tim Higgins →Explore the platform →

Related: Epic Games business model · How much money has Fortnite made · What does Tencent own · Who owns Roblox · The gaming industry

Frequently asked questions

Who owns Fortnite?

Epic Games, Inc. owns Fortnite. Epic is a private company controlled by its founder and CEO, Tim Sweeney.

Does Disney own Fortnite?

No. Disney owns a minority stake in Epic Games: its fiscal 2025 annual report shows an 8% interest valued at $1.6 billion as of 27 September 2025.

Did Sony buy Epic Games?

No. Sony invested $1 billion in Epic in 2022, alongside $1 billion from KIRKBI, at a post-money valuation of $31.5 billion; Epic said Sweeney remained in control.

Is Epic Games a public company?

No. Epic Games is privately held, so it does not publish a full list of shareholders.

Sources

The full guide

The complete explainer, cleaned up and reformatted for mobile.

In short

Fortnite is made and owned by Epic Games, a private company controlled by its founder and CEO, Tim Sweeney. Epic says it has a single class of common stock and remains controlled by Sweeney. Disclosed outside stakes include Disney’s 8% (valued at $1.5 billion in its 2024 Form 10-K) and $1 billion investments each from Sony and KIRKBI, the LEGO family’s holding company, in 2022.

Sources: Epic Games (2022); Disney fiscal 2024 Form 10-K. Analysis by The Business Engineer.

Correction (10 Oct 2026): earlier versions of this page showed undated or unsourced ownership figures. Ownership now comes from Epic Games, Inc.’s filings (Epic Games (2022); Disney fiscal 2024 Form 10-K); the rest of the article is kept as it was.

How we source: figures on this page come from the company’s own filings (SEC 10-K, 10-Q, prospectus and earnings releases, or its annual report), with the period stated next to each number; outside estimates appear only labelled, with their source and date. Last refreshed October 2026. Our methodology.

Who owns Fortnite: Epic Games, Inc.; Tim Sweeney (founder, CEO) controls Epic; The Walt Disney Company 8% ($1.5B, 2024); Sony $1B invested (2022); KIRKBI (LEGO family) $1B invested (2022) (Epic Games (2022); Disney fiscal 2024 Form 10-K).
Fortnite’s ownership chain. Source: Epic Games (2022); Disney fiscal 2024 Form 10-K.
Key facts: who owns Fortnite
FactFigureSource
OwnerEpic Games, Inc.Epic Games (2022); Disney fiscal 2024 Form 10-K
Epic Games, Inc. holder: Tim Sweeney (founder, CEO)controls EpicEpic Games (2022); Disney fiscal 2024 Form 10-K
Epic Games, Inc. holder: The Walt Disney Company8% ($1.5B, 2024)Epic Games (2022); Disney fiscal 2024 Form 10-K
Epic Games, Inc. holder: Sony$1B invested (2022)Epic Games (2022); Disney fiscal 2024 Form 10-K
Epic Games, Inc. holder: KIRKBI (LEGO family)$1B invested (2022)Epic Games (2022); Disney fiscal 2024 Form 10-K
Disney’s stake8%, valued $1.5B (28 Sep 2024)DIS 10-K FY2024
2022 round$1B each from Sony and KIRKBI; $31.5B valuationEpic Games

Who owns Fortnite today?

Epic Games is not listed, so its full cap table is private. In announcing its $2 billion round in 2022, Epic said Sony and KIRKBI each invested $1 billion, at a $31.5 billion post-money valuation, and that it ‘continues to have only a single class of common stock outstanding and remains controlled by its CEO and founder, Tim Sweeney’. Disney’s fiscal 2024 Form 10-K reports an 8% interest in Epic Games, Inc. valued at $1.5 billion at 28 September 2024. Tencent has been an investor since 2012; Epic does not publish the size of its stake. Older figures on this page about outside stakes should be read with that caveat.

The Business Engineer view

Fortnite is a founder-controlled franchise inside a private company that has taken money from three of the biggest names in entertainment (Disney, Sony and the LEGO family) without giving up control. That is why Epic can fight Apple and Google over app-store rules on its own terms.

The full story
Last Updated: April 2026

Epic Games owns Fortnite; Epic Games develops, publishes, and distributes games. It comprises the Unreal Engine, making money through licensing agreements with developers and creators. While Fortnite primarily follows a free-to-play model with up-sells and digital in-app purchases.

DetailDescription
GameFortnite
Ownership StructureOwned by Epic Games, Inc.
Parent CompanyEpic Games, Inc.
Founding DateJuly 25, 2017 (Fortnite’s initial release date)
FoundersEpic Games, Inc. (founded by Tim Sweeney)
HeadquartersCary, North Carolina, USA
Primary BusinessDevelopment and publishing of video games and software
Strategic GoalsExpanding game content and features, enhancing player experience, growing global user base, and leveraging the Unreal Engine for innovation and cross-platform play

Additional Ownership Details

  • Corporate Structure and Ownership: Fortnite is developed and published by Epic Games, Inc., a privately held company. Epic Games was founded by Tim Sweeney in 1991. The company remains privately owned, with significant investments from several major stakeholders, including Tencent Holdings Ltd., which acquired a 40% stake in Epic Games in 2012. Other investors include Sony Corporation and various venture capital firms.
  • History and Evolution: Fortnite was initially released in July 2017 as Fortnite: Save the World, a cooperative survival game. However, the game gained massive popularity with the launch of Fortnite Battle Royale in September 2017, which introduced a free-to-play battle royale mode. Fortnite Battle Royale quickly became a cultural phenomenon, attracting millions of players worldwide and establishing Fortnite as one of the most popular video games globally. The game is known for its frequent updates, in-game events, and collaborations with various franchises and celebrities.
  • Business Model and Revenue Streams: Fortnite operates a free-to-play business model with revenue generated through microtransactions. Key revenue streams include:
    • In-Game Purchases: Players can buy V-Bucks, the in-game currency, to purchase cosmetic items such as skins, emotes, and battle passes.
    • Battle Passes: Seasonal passes that offer exclusive rewards and challenges, incentivizing players to engage with the game regularly.
    • Collaborations and Licensing: Partnerships with brands, franchises, and celebrities to create unique in-game content and events.
    This model allows Fortnite to monetize its large player base without requiring upfront payment, making the game accessible to a broader audience.
  • Key Features and Innovations: Fortnite is known for its innovative features and frequent updates, which keep the game fresh and engaging. Key features include:
    • Battle Royale Mode: A 100-player free-for-all where the last player or team standing wins.Creative Mode: Allows players to build and design their own islands and game modes.Save the World: A cooperative survival mode where players defend against waves of enemies.Live Events: In-game events that often coincide with real-world events, including concerts, movie tie-ins, and seasonal celebrations.
    Fortnite’s integration of cross-platform play allows players on different devices to compete against each other, enhancing its accessibility and player base.
  • Technological Innovation: Fortnite leverages Unreal Engine, developed by Epic Games, to deliver high-quality graphics and gameplay. The game benefits from ongoing improvements to the engine, allowing for enhanced visual effects, physics, and performance. Epic Games’ investment in technology extends to features like cross-platform play, ensuring that Fortnite remains at the forefront of gaming innovation. The company also explores emerging technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to create new experiences for players.
  • Leadership and Governance: Epic Games is led by Tim Sweeney, the founder and CEO, who has been instrumental in the company’s growth and success. The leadership team includes experienced executives with backgrounds in gaming, technology, and business. The company operates with a focus on innovation, player experience, and industry leadership.
  • Brand Positioning and Marketing: Fortnite positions itself as a leading online game known for its fun, engaging gameplay and dynamic content. The game’s marketing strategy includes high-profile collaborations, influencer partnerships, and a strong presence on social media platforms. Fortnite’s brand messaging emphasizes creativity, competition, and community, appealing to a diverse audience of gamers. The company’s marketing efforts aim to maintain Fortnite’s relevance and popularity in the competitive gaming landscape.

Aspect · Description · Analysis · Examples

Products and Services

Description. Fortnite is a popular online video game developed by Epic Games. It falls into the battle royale genre, where players compete to be the last one standing. Fortnite offers free-to-play gameplay with in-game purchases for virtual items such as skins, emotes, and battle passes. The game also features regular updates, limited-time events, and collaborations with other franchises.

Analysis. Fortnite’s core product is the free-to-play battle royale game, attracting a large player base. The game monetizes through in-game purchases of virtual items, providing customization options to players. Regular updates and collaborations keep the gameplay fresh and engaging, encouraging player retention and spending.

Examples. Free-to-play battle royale game, in-game purchases for virtual items (skins, emotes, battle passes), regular updates, limited-time events, collaborations with other franchises.

Revenue Streams

Description. Fortnite generates revenue primarily through in-game purchases. Players can buy virtual items using the in-game currency, V-Bucks, which can be purchased with real money. These purchases include cosmetic items like skins, emotes, and battle passes. Fortnite also earns income through partnerships, collaborations, and live in-game events, as well as merchandise sales and licensing deals.

Analysis. The main revenue source is in-game purchases, where players buy virtual items using real money. Cosmetic items such as skins, emotes, and battle passes are popular choices. Partnerships, collaborations, and live in-game events generate additional income. Fortnite’s brand extends to merchandise sales and licensing deals, contributing to overall revenue.

Examples. Revenue from in-game purchases (virtual items, V-Bucks), partnerships, collaborations, and live in-game events, merchandise sales, and licensing deals.

Customer Segments

Description. Fortnite targets a diverse customer base of gamers across various age groups and regions. Its appeal ranges from casual players to competitive esports enthusiasts. The game attracts players who enjoy multiplayer online battle royale experiences and those who value customization and collectible virtual items. Fortnite’s events and collaborations also draw fans of pop culture franchises.

Analysis. Fortnite’s customer segments include gamers of various ages and backgrounds, from casual players to competitive esports enthusiasts. The game appeals to those who enjoy multiplayer online battle royale experiences and players who value customization through virtual items. Fortnite’s collaborations and events attract fans of pop culture franchises, expanding its reach.

Examples. Gamers of various ages and backgrounds, casual players to competitive esports enthusiasts, multiplayer online battle royale enthusiasts, players valuing customization through virtual items, fans of pop culture franchises attracted by collaborations and events.

Distribution Channels

Description. Fortnite is distributed through multiple platforms, including PC, gaming consoles (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch), and mobile devices (iOS and Android). The game is available through digital storefronts and Epic Games’ launcher. Fortnite also promotes itself through social media, streaming platforms, and its official website.

Analysis. Distribution channels encompass PC, gaming consoles, and mobile devices through digital storefronts and Epic Games’ launcher. Fortnite leverages social media, streaming platforms, and its website for marketing and player engagement. Accessibility across various platforms ensures a broad player base.

Examples. Distribution on PC, gaming consoles (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch), and mobile devices (iOS and Android) through digital storefronts and Epic Games’ launcher, marketing through social media, streaming platforms, and the official website, accessibility across multiple platforms for a broad player base.

Key Partnerships

Description. Fortnite collaborates with various brands, franchises, and artists for in-game events and crossover content. Partnerships with hardware manufacturers, console platforms, and mobile app stores expand its reach. The game also collaborates with esports organizations and hosts competitive tournaments. Fortnite’s in-game merchandise partnerships offer physical items to fans.

Analysis. Collaborations with brands, franchises, artists, and esports organizations create in-game events and crossover content, enhancing player engagement. Partnerships with hardware manufacturers, console platforms, and app stores extend Fortnite’s reach across devices. Competitive tournaments foster esports engagement. Merchandise partnerships offer physical items based on in-game content, appealing to fans and collectors. Fortnite’s partnerships drive engagement and monetization.

Examples. Collaborations with brands, franchises, artists, and esports organizations for in-game events and crossover content, partnerships with hardware manufacturers, console platforms, and app stores for device reach, hosting competitive tournaments to foster esports engagement, merchandise partnerships offering physical items based on in-game content, driving engagement and monetization.

Key Resources

Description. Fortnite’s key resources include its game development and design teams, a large player base, a continuous stream of content updates, a dedicated player community, a secure online infrastructure, the in-game currency V-Bucks, and a strong brand identity associated with gaming and pop culture.

Analysis. Game development and design teams drive content creation and gameplay improvements. A large player base supports the game’s ecosystem. Regular content updates keep players engaged. A dedicated player community contributes to the game’s longevity. A secure online infrastructure ensures smooth gameplay. V-Bucks serve as the in-game currency. A strong brand identity connects Fortnite with gaming and pop culture, enhancing its appeal.

Examples. Game development and design teams, a large player base, continuous content updates, a dedicated player community, a secure online infrastructure, V-Bucks as in-game currency, a strong brand identity associated with gaming and pop culture appeal.

Cost Structure

Description. Fortnite incurs costs related to game development and updates, server maintenance and infrastructure, marketing and advertising expenses for promotions and events, employee salaries and benefits for development, customer support, and administrative roles, partnerships and licensing fees for collaborations, and potential regulatory and compliance costs.

Analysis. Costs related to game development and updates are essential for maintaining player engagement. Server maintenance and infrastructure support smooth online gameplay. Marketing and advertising expenses promote promotions and events. Employee salaries and benefits cover development, customer support, and administrative functions. Partnerships and licensing fees support collaborations. Potential regulatory and compliance costs may arise to meet legal and industry requirements.

Examples. Costs related to game development and updates, server maintenance and infrastructure, marketing and advertising expenses for promotions and events, employee salaries and benefits for development, customer support, and administrative roles, partnerships and licensing fees for collaborations, potential regulatory and compliance costs to meet legal and industry requirements.

Competitive Advantage

Description. Fortnite’s competitive advantage lies in its frequent content updates and in-game events that keep the player base engaged and returning. Collaborations with popular brands, franchises, and artists make the game culturally relevant and appealing. The availability of free gameplay with monetization options for customization attracts a broad audience. Fortnite’s strong brand identity connects it to gaming and pop culture, fostering player loyalty.

Analysis. Frequent content updates and in-game events maintain player engagement, a key advantage in the gaming industry. Collaborations with popular brands, franchises, and artists make Fortnite culturally relevant and appealing. The combination of free gameplay and in-game purchases attracts a broad audience. Fortnite’s strong brand identity connects it with gaming and pop culture, driving player loyalty and retention. The game’s competitive advantage lies in its dynamic and inclusive approach to gaming and entertainment.

Examples. Frequent content updates and in-game events for player engagement, collaborations with popular brands, franchises, and artists for cultural relevance, free gameplay with in-game purchases for a broad audience, a strong brand identity associated with gaming and pop culture fostering player loyalty, competitive advantage within the gaming and entertainment landscape.

Ownership and Major Shareholders:

Epic Games owns Fortnite ;

  • Epic Games owns Fortnite, a popular video game.

Business Activities:

  • Epic Games is a company that develops, publishes, and distributes video games.
  • One of its significant assets is the Unreal Engine, a game development platform used by many developers.
  • Epic Games makes money through licensing agreements with developers and creators who use the Unreal Engine.

Fortnite Business Model:

  • Fortnite, the flagship game of Epic Games, follows a free-to-play model.
  • The game is accessible to players at no cost, attracting a large player base.
  • The revenue generation comes from in-app purchases and up-sells.
  • Players can buy virtual items, skins, and other cosmetic upgrades within the game.

Key Takeaways:

  • Epic Games is a major player in the video game industry, owning popular titles like Fortnite.
  • Tim Sweeney, the co-founder, and CEO has the largest share in the company.
  • Tencent, a Chinese conglomerate, is a significant stakeholder in Epic Games.
  • Epic Games generates revenue through licensing Unreal Engine to developers and from in-app purchases in Fortnite.
  • Fortnite’s free-to-play model with in-app purchases has been a successful revenue strategy for the company.

More about Fortnite

How Much Money Has Fortnite Made

how-much-money-has-fortnite-made
Fortnite, developed by Epic Games, is available in three modes. Save the World follows a premium model, where the game is sold starting at $14.99- Battle Royale follows a free-to-play model, available for free. Still, gamers can buy things or customize characters with its digital currency (V-Bucks), and Creative Mode. As reported by Variety, Fortnite made $1.8 billion in 2019 and $2.4 billion in 2018.

Epic Games Business Model

epic-games-business-model
Epic Games is a gaming company that develops, publishes, and distributes games. It comprises the Unreal Engine, making money through licensing agreements with developers and creators. Its games (like Fortnite) mostly follow a free-to-play model on PC and an in-app purchase model on the digital marketplace. And its storefront Epic Games Store, taking a 12% cut on games’ sales.

Epic Games Flywheel Effects

epic-games-flywheel

Free-To-Play Business Model

free-to-play
A free-to-play is a model that became particularly popular in gaming. Free-to-play is also commonly referred to as free-to-start. For instance, companies like Epic Games have launched popular games like Fortnite’s Battle Royale, which had ingrained a free-to-play model. This is a model that has become extremely popular in the digital age of gaming.

Gaming Industry

gaming-industry
The gaming industry, part of the entertainment industry, is comprised of three main types of players. From game engines, which help developers build their games. To publishing gaming houses. And gaming consoles. While the prevailing business model for decades has been selling the console at cost and making money on games. Digital games changed how games are distributed and sold, and they opened up the way for free-to-play models.

What Does Tencent Own

what-does-tencent-own
Tencent is a Chinese multinational conglomerate founded in 1998 by Ma Huateng, Zhang Zhidong, and Xu Chenye. Among its various global subsidiaries are companies in the online services, music, and artificial intelligence industries. But it is perhaps best known for its interest in the video game sector – both as a game developer for the Chinese market and the acquirer of several established gaming companies. Tencent is a vast company with a stake in more than 600 companies. Following is a look at some of the companies and subsidiaries it has a majority stake in.

EA Sports Business Model

ea-sports-business-model
EA Sports is among the largest gaming publishers, with a hybrid strategy of fully-owned games and licensed games distributed with a cross-platform approach. FIFA is the game that most contributes to its revenues and live services (Ultimate Team in particular) are the largest revenue contributors to EA revenues.

Discord Business Model

how-does-discord-make-money
Discord makes money in several ways. From its Discord Store, where users can buy premium games, to the seller shops, which primarily work with a 90/10 revenue share for developers and game sellers. And sellers can get more visibility on the platform by adding features to the game visibility.

Read Also: How Much Money Has Fortnite Made, Epic Games Business Model, Free-To-Play Business Model, Gaming Industry, EA Sports Business Model, Discord Business Model.

Who Owns OpenAI

who-owns-openai
OpenAI is an artificial intelligence research laboratory that transitioned into a for-profit organization in 2019, which comprised an entity called OpenAI LP and the non-profit parent foundation OpenAI. The lab, which was founded in 2015 by Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and various others, has a core focus on the development of friendly AI that benefits society as a whole.

Who Owns Airbnb

who-owns-airbnb
Its co-founders primarily own Airbnb: Brian Chesky, with 76,407,686 Class B shares, which gives him 29.1% of ownership; Nathan Blecharczyk, with 232,306 Class A and 64,646,713 Class B, which give him 25.3%; and Joe Gebbia, which has 5,113,865 Class A and 58,023,452 Class B, which give him 22.9% ownership.

Who Owns Google

who-owns-google
Google is primarily owned by its founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who have more than 51% voting power.

Who Owns Facebook

who-owns-facebook
Mark Zuckerberg is the largest shareholder in the company. Zuckerberg retains ownership and control of the company. Like Google, Facebook has issued two common stocks, Class A and Class B. The holders of Class B common stocks are entitled to ten votes per share, and holders of our Class A common stocks are entitled to one vote per share. Mark Zuckerberg has a voting power of 56.9%; he’s the primary decision-maker. Other individual investors comprise Sheryl Sandberg, Christopher Cox, Marc Andreessen, Peter Thiel, Dustin Moskovitz, and Eduardo Saverin.

Who Owns Apple

who-owns-apple
As of 2023, major Apple shareholders comprised Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway with 5.73% of the company’s stock (valued at over $130 billion). Followed by other individual shareholders like Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, with about 3.3 million shares, Artur Levinson, chairman of Apple, with over 4.5 million shares, and others.

Who Owns Amazon

who-owns-amazon
Other top individual investors comprise Amazon’s CEO Andy Jessy, with 94,729 shares.  

Who Owns Microsoft

who-owns-microsoft
Major shareholders comprise co-founder Bill Gates, who stepped down from the company’s board in 2020, which is why these shares are no longer publicly reported. Other individual shareholders comprise Satya Nadella, the company’s CEO, Brad Smith (former president), Jean-Philippe Courtois (EVP), and Amy Hood (former CFO).

Who Owns Tesla

who-owns-tesla
By 2022, most of Tesla’s shares are still owned by Elon Musk, among the company’s co-founders and the CEO. Elon Musk is the top individual investor, with a 23.5% stake in the company, equivalent to over 244 million shares. Musk is followed by Lawrence Ellison (founder of Oracle), with a 1.5% company stake. Ellison also sits on Tesla’s board. And Antonio Gracias, among the company’s first investors, has over 1.6 million shares. Other institutional investors and mutual funds like The Vanguard Group (6%), Blackrock (5.1%), and Capital Ventures International also have a good chunk of the company’s stocks.

Who Owns PayPal

who-owns-paypal
PayPal was first founded in 1998; it was called Confinity (among its founders was Peter Thiel); later, it merged with X.com, its major competitor, founded by Elon Musk (which would become known for other companies like Tesla and SpaceX). From this merger, PayPal was born. In 2002, PayPal was bought by eBay for $1.5 billion. eBay spun off PayPal in 2015, which would be listed as an independent entity. Today PayPal owns brands like Braintree, Venmo, Xoom, and iZettle.

Who Owns Netflix

who-owns-netflix
Netflix’s largest individual shareholder is Reed Hastings, co-founder, and former CEO of the company, now Chairperson of Netflix, with a 1.7% stake, valued at over $2.4 billion in February 2023. Other significant individual shareholders comprise Jay C. Hoag, the company’s directors since 1999, and Ted Sarandos, former chief content officer and now Chief Executive Officer of Netflix. Major institutional shareholders comprise The Vanguard Group (7.55% ownership), BlackRock (6.58% ownership), and Capital Research Global Investments (5.84% ownership).

Who Owns TikTok

who-owns-tiktok
TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese internet technology company owning several content platforms worldwide (Douyin, Toutiao, Xigua Video, Helo, Lark, Babe). Bytedance passed the $300 billion private market valuation by 2022, making around $58 billion in revenue in 2022, over $4 billion from TikTok.

Who Owns YouTube

who-owns-youtube
Acquired by Google, in 2006, for $1.65 billion, YouTube is now worth many times over. In 2022, YouTube generated over $29 billion in revenue from advertising alone. YouTube is part of Google (now named Alphabet), and as such, it is owned by main Google’s Alphabet shareholders and is one of the fastest-growing segments for the company.

Who Owns Twitter

who-owns-twitter
As of April 25th, 2022, Elon Musk tried to take over Twitter. Musk tried to purchase the company at $54.20 per share, or about $44 billion. The deal finally closed by October 27th, 2022, and Elon Musk became the largest shareholder.

Who Owns Spotify

who-owns-spotify
The multi-billion music streaming company Spotify is primarily owned by its founders, Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. As of 2023, Daniel Ek has 16.5% ownership of ordinary shares and 31.7% of the voting power. Martin Lorentzon has 10.9% of ordinary shares and 42.6% of the voting power. Another key shareholder is Baillie Gifford & Co, a Scottish-based money management firm, followed by Morgan Stanley, T. Rowe Price, and Tencent.

Who Owns Nvidia

who-owns-nvidia
The top individual shareholder of NVIDIA is Jen-Hsun Huang, founder, and CEO of the company, with 87,521,722 shares giving him 3.50% ownership. Followed by Mark A. Stevens, venture capitalist and a partner at S-Cubed Capital, who was part of the NVIDIA board in 2008 and previously served as a director from 1993 to 2006, with 6,258,803 shares. Institutional investors comprise The Vanguard Group, Inc, with 196,015,550, owning 7.83%. BlackRock, Inc., with 177,858,484, owns 7.10%. And FMR LLC (Fidelity Institutional Asset Management) with 158,039,922, owning 6.31%.

Who Owns Snapchat

who-owns-snapchat
Evan Spiegel and Robert Cornelius Murphy are the co-founders and, respectively, CEO and CTO of Snapchat. Evan Spiegel owns 3% of Class A stocks, 25.7% of Class B stocks, and 53.4% of Class C stocks for a 53.2% voting power, whereas Robert Murphy owns 6% of Class A stocks, 25.7% of Class B stocks, and 46.6% of Class C stocks for a 46.6% voting power. Snapchat runs an advertising-based business model.

Who Owns Uber

who-owns-uber
Uber’s principal individual shareholders comprise Yasir Al-Rumayyan (3.73%), the Governor of the Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Dara Khosrowshahi, the founder and CEO of Uber. There is Morgan Stanley, with 5.12% ownership among the top institutional investors.

Who Owns Shopify

who-owns-shopify
The founder and CEO of Shopify, Tobias Lütke, owned or controlled 7,891,852 Class B multiple voting shares and 5,250 Class A subordinate voting shares, representing approximately 33.8% of the aggregate voting power attached to all of the Company’s outstanding voting shares. Another key stakeholder is John H. Phillips, an angel investor who placed an early bet on Shopify.

Who Owns Roblox

who-owns-roblox
Roblox is owned by David Baszucki and Gregory Baszucki, with a 2.3% and 2.6% stake, respectively. Anthony lee, managing partner at Altos Ventures, with a 15.3% stake.

Who Owns Twitch

who-owns-twitch
In 2014, Twitch was bought by Amazon for $970 million. Therefore Twitch is part of Amazon, comprising other subsidiaries bought over the years, like Audible, Whole Foods, and Zappos .

Who Owns Zoom

who-owns-zoom
Zoom’s main private shareholders comprise Eric S. Yuan, a Chinese-American billionaire businessman that founded Zoom. Dan Scheinman, board member and angel investor in Zoom since the start, and Santiago Subotovsky, also an early investor in Zoom. Zoom follows a freeterprise business model where free accounts are channeled into enterprise customers.

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