Spotify (SPOT -3.34%) is a major player in the global music streaming space. Founded in 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, the platform was designed to allow music lovers access to a quality selection of listening options while solving the issue of piracy plaguing the industry at the time.
As an early mover in the streaming space, the Stockholm-based company has been able to amass and maintain significant market share through the years. Its freemium revenue model -- which consists of a free, ad-supported tier and a paid, ad-free tier -- and extensive library of audio options that range far beyond music continue to contribute to the growth of its massive user base.
NYSE: SPOT
Key Data Points
The music stock controls an approximate 32% share of the music streaming space worldwide, an impressive feat for a company that originated as a startup less than two decades ago.
As of late 2025, Spotify had 713 million monthly active users globally. Its cohort of premium subscribers (users who pay to access the ad-free tier) totaled 281 million.
Publicly Traded Company
As a publicly traded company, anyone can buy shares of Spotify. Here's a closer look at who owns the company, its board of directors, and ways you can invest in this streaming stock.
Who is the owner of Spotify?
Many individuals own shares of Spotify, but the majority of company shares are held by institutional investors, like banks and funds.
Spotify has been a publicly traded company since April 3, 2018. Its public debut was very different than the average stock, as Spotify opted for a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
This is a less common approach than the traditional method of an initial public offering, but companies that do not need to raise new capital and are more interested in allowing investors to buy and sell shares on the open market may opt for this approach.
Shareholder
Institutional investors
- BlackRock (BLK -0.77%): One of the leading global investment managers, BlackRock owns about 11.8 million shares of Spotify, representing 5.7% of outstanding shares.
- Baillie Gifford and Company: The Edinburgh-headquartered investment management company owns approximately 8.7 million Spotify shares, or 4.2% of outstanding shares.
- Morgan Stanley (MS -0.70%): The financial institution owns approximately 6.8 million shares of Spotify, representing about 3.3% of outstanding shares.
- Fidelity Investments: The investment management firm owns 6.1 million shares, almost 3% of outstanding shares.
- State Street (STT -0.62%): The financial asset management firm own 4.6 million shares, or 2.2% of outstanding shares.
Board of Directors
Who is on the board of directors for Spotify?
Spotify's board of directors consists of the following 10 members.
NAME | ROLE | TENURE |
|---|---|---|
Daniel Ek | CEO and Chairman | Since 2008 |
Martin Lorentzon | Director | Since 2008 |
Christopher Marshall | Lead Independent Director | Since 2015 |
Barry McCarthy | Director | Since 2020 |
Shishir Mehrotra | Director | Since 2017 |
Heidi O'Neill | Director | Since 2017 |
Ted Sarandos | Director | Since 2016 |
Thomas Staggs | Director | Since 2017 |
Mona Sutphen | Director | Since 2021 |
Padmasree Warrior | Director | Since 2017 |
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How to invest in Spotify
Because Spotify is a publicly traded company, if you have a brokerage account, you can buy shares of the entertainment stock yourself. To do so, follow these steps.
- Open your brokerage account: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
- Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
- Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
- Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
- Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
- Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.
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