eBay

Who owns eBay?
eBay is publicly traded on NASDAQ under ticker EBAY. The company has a broad institutional and retail shareholder base with no controlling shareholder. Jamie Iannone serves as CEO, having been appointed in April 2020. The company returned over $3.0 billion to stockholders in FY2025 through share repurchases and dividends.

Is eBay publicly traded?
Yes, eBay is publicly traded on NASDAQ under ticker EBAY. The company has been publicly traded since its IPO in September 1998. In Q2 2026, eBay returned $448 million to stockholders including $310 million in share repurchases and $138 million in cash dividends, with approximately $2.0 billion remaining under the repurchase authorization.

Who is the CEO of eBay?
Jamie Iannone has served as CEO of eBay since April 2020. Under his leadership, eBay has focused on three strategic priorities: Focus Categories, C2C, and recommerce. Iannone previously held leadership roles at Walmart e-commerce and Sams Club, bringing extensive e-commerce and retail experience to the position.

When was eBay founded?
eBay was founded on September 3, 1995, by Pierre Omidyar in San Jose, California, originally under the name AuctionWeb. The first item sold was a broken laser pointer for $14.83. The company was renamed eBay in 1997 and went public in September 1998. eBay celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2025.

What is eBay's annual revenue?
eBay reported FY2025 revenue of $11.1 billion, up 8% year-over-year, with GMV of $79.6 billion, up 7% year-over-year. In Q1 2026, revenue was $3.1 billion (up 19% YoY) and in Q2 2026, revenue was $3.1 billion (up 15% YoY). The company generated $2.0 billion in operating cash flow and $1.5 billion in free cash flow in FY2025.

What brands does eBay own?
eBay owns its core online marketplace (eBay.com), connecting approximately 135 million active buyers with sellers globally. In July 2026, eBay completed its acquisition of Depop, a C2C fashion marketplace with a Gen Z and Millennial audience, from Etsy for approximately $1.4 billion. eBay previously owned PayPal (spun off 2015), StubHub (sold to Viagogo in 2021), and classifieds businesses (sold to Adevinta in 2021).

What is the Depop acquisition?
In February 2026, eBay announced a definitive agreement to acquire Depop, a leading C2C fashion marketplace, from Etsy for approximately $1.2 billion in cash. The transaction closed on July 30, 2026, with eBay paying $1.4 billion in cash inclusive of purchase price adjustments. Depop strengthens eBay's leadership in circular fashion and recommerce and deepens its reach with younger, fashion-forward consumers.

What controversies has eBay faced?
eBay faced a major scandal in 2020 when former employees were charged with cyberstalking a couple who operated an e-commerce newsletter critical of eBay, resulting in prison sentences and a $3 million settlement. The company also faces ongoing scrutiny regarding counterfeit goods on its platform, which it addresses through authentication services and anti-counterfeiting measures. Platform liability questions persist regarding items sold by third-party sellers.

eBay was founded on September 3, 1995, by Pierre Omidyar in San Jose, California, under the name AuctionWeb. The platform was initially a side project for Omidyar, who was working as a software developer. The first item sold on the platform was a broken laser pointer for $14.83, purchased by a collector of broken laser pointers, demonstrating the platform's ability to connect niche communities of buyers and sellers.

AuctionWeb grew rapidly through word-of-mouth, attracting buyers and sellers of collectibles, electronics, and other goods. The company was renamed eBay in 1997. Meg Whitman joined as CEO in 1998 and led the company through its IPO in September 1998, which raised $63 million and valued the company at approximately $700 million.

eBay expanded aggressively through acquisitions in the early 2000s. The company acquired PayPal in 2002 for approximately $1.5 billion to provide integrated payment services, and PayPal was spun off as an independent company in 2015. eBay acquired Skype in 2005 for approximately $2.6 billion, sold it to a private equity group in 2009, and Microsoft later acquired it in 2011. eBay acquired StubHub in 2007 for approximately $310 million and sold it to Viagogo in 2021 for approximately $4.05 billion. eBay's classifieds businesses (Gumtree, Kijiji, and others) were sold to Adevinta in 2021 for approximately $9.2 billion.

John Donahoe became CEO in 2008, followed by Devin Wenig in 2015 after the PayPal spinoff. Jamie Iannone became CEO in 2020, bringing experience from e-commerce and subscription businesses. Under Iannone's leadership, eBay has focused on its core marketplace business, investing in technology improvements, seller tools, and category-specific initiatives particularly in collectibles, luxury goods, and refurbished electronics.

In 2025, eBay celebrated its 30th anniversary. The company exceeded its 5-year Impact Goals, achieving a cumulative positive economic impact from pre-loved and refurbished goods of close to $25 billion and helping to prevent nearly 8.2 million metric tons of carbon emissions and over 360,000 metric tons of waste from entering landfills.

In February 2026, eBay announced a definitive agreement to acquire Depop from Etsy for approximately $1.2 billion in cash. The transaction closed on July 30, 2026, with eBay paying $1.4 billion in cash inclusive of preliminary purchase price adjustments. The acquisition received regulatory clearances in the United States and Germany, with reviews completed in the United Kingdom and Australia.

eBay has established comprehensive sustainability initiatives centered on the circular economy, renewable energy, and responsible marketplace practices. The company published its 2025 Impact Report detailing progress across four key pillars: Economic Opportunity, Sustainable Commerce, Culture and Workforce, and Trusted Marketplace.

Circular Economy and Recommerce: Recommerce has been integral to eBay's purpose since its founding in 1995. In 2025, recommerce on the platform generated $5.3 billion in positive economic impact, up $300 million from 2024. These sales helped avoid 1.6 million metric tons of carbon emissions and diverted more than 71,000 metric tons of waste from landfills. eBay exceeded its 5-year Impact Goals, achieving close to $25 billion in cumulative positive economic impact from pre-loved and refurbished goods and preventing nearly 8.2 million metric tons of carbon emissions.

Climate Targets: In January 2026, eBay published its inaugural Climate Transition Plan, detailing a path to net-zero emissions by 2045, aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative. The plan includes a goal to reduce emissions across the entire value chain by 90% by 2045. Near-term goals include reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 90% by 2030 compared to the 2019 baseline, and reducing Scope 3 emissions from downstream transportation by 27.5%. eBay maintained 100% renewable electricity sourcing for all global operations including data centers for the second consecutive year in 2025.

Circular Fashion Fund: eBay's Circular Fashion Fund supports entrepreneurs and businesses developing solutions to make fashion more circular. Since launching in 2022, the fund has supported more than 25 businesses. In 2025, Refiberd, a California-based company using AI to identify fiber composition in garments, was named the Global Winner and received an additional $300,000 investment from eBay Ventures. eBay's total funding through the program is expected to reach $1.9 million by the end of 2026.

Responsible AI: eBay operationalized its enterprise-wide Responsible AI (RAI) program in 2025, ensuring ethical innovation as the company invests in AI. The company joined the EU AI Pact ahead of global deadlines, reinforcing its commitment to governance frameworks that scale with AI investments.

Wildlife Trafficking Prevention: eBay blocked approximately 1.8 million potential violations for prohibited wildlife items in 2025, including ivory and products from endangered species. As a founding member of the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online, eBay works with governments, NGOs, and industry peers to enforce its Animal Products Policy.

Employee Development: eBay hosted two global LearnFest AI Days in 2025, engaging more than 4,000 employees. Nearly 3,000 people leaders participated in leadership courses. The company enhanced benefits including no-cost cancer early detection for eligible US employees and launched an AI-powered Benefits Assistant.

eBay received numerous awards in 2025 and 2026:

• TIME's World's Best Companies: Recognized as one of the world's best companies
• TIME's World's Most Sustainable Companies: Recognized for sustainability leadership
• Fortune's America's Most Innovative Companies: Honored for innovation in e-commerce
• Forbes' World's Best Employers: Recognized for workplace excellence
• Newsweek's America's Greenest Companies: Recognized for environmental sustainability
• Gender Equality Recognition: Recognized for commitments to gender equality and workplace diversity
• Renewable Energy Achievement: Recognized for achieving 100% renewable electricity sourcing for operations for two consecutive years
• Community Impact Recognition: eBay Foundation granted over $17 million in 2025, with cumulative grants exceeding $150 million to more than 1,800 nonprofits worldwide
• ESG Reporting Excellence: Comprehensive ESG reporting with GRI, SASB, and TCFD indices and independent assurance
• Circular Economy Leadership: Recognized for leadership in recommerce and sustainable consumption through the circular economy platform

Cyberstalking Scandal: In 2020, eBay faced a significant legal scandal when several former employees were charged with cyberstalking a couple who operated an e-commerce newsletter critical of eBay. The employees allegedly sent disturbing packages and conducted surveillance of the couple. Several employees pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison. Former CEO Devin Wenig resigned in 2019 amid the investigation. The scandal resulted in a $3 million settlement with the victims in 2021.

Counterfeit Goods: eBay has faced regulatory scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions regarding counterfeit goods sold on its platform. The company has invested in anti-counterfeiting measures, including the Authenticity Guarantee program that now covers sneakers, trading cards, watches, handbags, apparel, and jewelry in multiple markets.

Depop Acquisition Regulatory Review: The acquisition of Depop from Etsy required regulatory approvals in multiple jurisdictions. eBay and Etsy received clearances in the United States and Germany, with reviews progressing in the United Kingdom and Australia before the transaction closed on July 30, 2026.

Platform Liability: eBay faces ongoing questions about its responsibility for items sold on its platform, including counterfeit goods, prohibited wildlife items, and unsafe products. The company maintains policies and enforcement mechanisms including its Animal Products Policy and proactive blocking of prohibited listings.

Data Privacy and Security: As a global marketplace handling millions of transactions, eBay must navigate complex data protection regulations while maintaining online services and collecting user data for platform improvement and fraud prevention.