Does Spotify make a profit?

As of the first quarter of 2026, Spotify had reported positive net income for nine consecutive quarters.

Who currently owns Spotify?

Spotify is a publicly traded company, so it is owned by both individual and institutional shareholders. Anyone can buy shares of Spotify through a brokerage account.

Who is the CEO of Spotify?

Daniel Ek is the CEO of Spotify. He also co-founded the company with Martin Lorentzon in 2006.

Is Spotify publicly traded?

Spotify is a publicly traded company. The streaming giant was listed on the NYSE in 2018.

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Which Company Owns Spotify?

By Rachel Warren – Updated Jun 26, 2026 at 8:14 PM EST | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Spotify, founded in 2006, holds a 32% global market share in music streaming.
As of 2025, it has 713 million users, with 281 million paying for ad-free service.
Institutional investors own 67.8% of Spotify; founders control significant voting power.

Spotify (SPOT +2.64%) is a major player in the global music streaming space. Founded in 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, the platform was designed to give music lovers access to a high-quality selection of listening options while addressing the piracy plaguing the industry at the time.

As an early mover in the streaming space, the Stockholm-based company has amassed and maintained significant market share over 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.

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NYSE: SPOT

Spotify Technology

Premium Feature

Moneyball Superscore

79/100

Today's Change

(2.72%) $15.23

Current Price

$574.59

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$115B

Day's Range

$562.23 - $576.00

52wk Range

$405.00 - $745.00

Volume

253.3K

Avg Vol

1.8M

Gross Margin

32.70%

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The music stock controls an approximate 32% share of the music streaming space worldwide, an impressive feat for a company that originated as a start-up 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 for the ad-free tier) totaled 281 million.

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Publicly Traded Company

A company that issues shares that are publicly traded, meaning the shares are available for anyone to buy and sell on the stock market.

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As a publicly traded company, Spotify can be bought and sold by anyone. Here's a closer look at who owns the company, its board of directors, and ways you can invest in this streaming stock.

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Who are the largest shareholders?

Currently, institutional investors control roughly 84% of Spotify shares. Company insiders control 24.2% of Spotify shares, with the vast majority of that amount held by just two individuals: the company's founders. Here is a look at the individuals and institutions that represent Spotify's largest shareholders as of the company's most recent Form 20-F (the annual report that foreign companies must file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission).

Individual investors

Daniel Ek: Spotify's chief executive officer, founder, and chairman of the board of directors owns approximately 29.1 million shares for 14.3% of outstanding shares. However, there's more to examine behind these numbers. Back in 2017, Spotify entered into an agreement with Chinese multinational tech conglomerate Tencent Holdings (TCEHY -1.16%), through which each company purchased 10% stakes in the other.

Ek controls Tencent's voting power through his investment holding company, D.G.E. Investments, and those shares are reflected in his overall share count above. As of the end of 2024, D.G.E. Investments Limited held about 12.5 million ordinary shares of Spotify.
Martin Lorentzon: Spotify's co-founder serves on the board. According to the company's most recent 20-F, Lorenzton controls approximately 20 million shares, around 9.8% of outstanding shares. While Lorentzon maintains a smaller stake than Daniel Ek, he has more voting power than any other Spotify shareholder. This is because Lorentzon exerts control over the majority of the company's beneficiary certificates.

Together, Ek and Lorentzon control 70.7% of the voting power of all the company's outstanding voting securities. However, Lorentzon held 41.6% of the voting power as of the company's most recent annual report, while Ek controls 29.1%.

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Shareholder

An individual or entity that owns a portion of a company's stock, entitling them to a share of its profits and assets.

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Institutional investors

BlackRock (BLK +2.13%): One of the leading global investment managers, BlackRock owns about 11.4 million shares of Spotify, representing 5.5% of outstanding shares.
Baillie Gifford and Company: The Edinburgh-headquartered investment management company owns approximately 8.2 million Spotify shares, or 4% of outstanding shares.
Morgan Stanley (MS +2.24%): The financial institution owns approximately 5.6 million shares of Spotify, representing about 2.7% of outstanding shares.
State Street (STT +1.51%): The financial asset management firm owns 4.7 million shares, or 2.3% of outstanding shares.
T. Rowe Price Associates (TROW +0.73%): The investment management firm owns 4.6 million shares, about 2.2% of outstanding shares.

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Board of Directors

A group of elected individuals responsible for overseeing the activities of a company and representing shareholders.

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Who is on the board of directors for Spotify?

Spotify's board of directors consists of the following 10 members.

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Source: Spotify
NAME	ROLE	TENURE
Daniel Ek	CEO and Chairman	Since 2008
Martin Lorentzon	Director	Since 2008
Barry McCarthy	Director	Since 2020
Shishir Mehrotra	Director	Since 2017
Ted Sarandos	Director	Since 2016
Thomas Staggs	Director	Since 2017
Mona Sutphen	Director	Since 2021
Padmasree Warrior	Director	Since 2017
Alex Norström	Director

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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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Who Owns Spotify: FAQ

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About the Author

Rachel Warren is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, information technology, and consumer goods. Prior to The Motley Fool, Rachel was a paralegal and legal administrator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from Liberty University School of Law.

TMFRachelW

Rachel Warren has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends BlackRock, Spotify Technology, T. Rowe Price Group, and Tencent. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Which Company Owns Spotify?