eBay Inc.

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.

Who founded eBay?
eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995 in San Jose, California, originally under the name AuctionWeb.

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.

Does eBay still own PayPal and StubHub?
No. eBay spun off PayPal as an independent company in 2015. eBay sold StubHub to Viagogo in 2021 for approximately $4.05 billion. eBay also sold its classifieds businesses (Gumtree, Kijiji, etc.) to Adevinta in 2021.

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 to better reflect its auction-based business model. 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 to build complementary capabilities and enter new markets:

• PayPal (2002): Acquired for approximately $1.5 billion to provide integrated payment services. PayPal became eBay's primary payment method and a major revenue contributor before being spun off as an independent company in 2015.
• Skype (2005): Acquired for approximately $2.6 billion to enable communication between buyers and sellers. eBay sold Skype to a private equity group in 2009, and Microsoft later acquired it in 2011.
• StubHub (2007): Acquired for approximately $310 million to enter the ticket resale market. eBay sold StubHub to Viagogo in 2021 for approximately $4.05 billion.
• Gumtree, Kijiji, and other classifieds businesses: eBay built a global portfolio of classified ad sites, which were sold to Adevinta in 2021 for approximately $9.2 billion.

John Donahoe became CEO in 2008 and led eBay through a period of significant growth and strategic refocusing on core marketplace operations. Devin Wenig became CEO in 2015 following the PayPal spinoff, emphasizing technology investments and mobile commerce development. 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. The company has expanded authentication services for high-value categories including sneakers, trading cards, and watches to build buyer trust and increase platform premiumization.

The company has faced significant challenges including competition from Amazon's dominant position in new goods e-commerce, the 2020 cyberstalking scandal that led to leadership changes, and the ongoing need to attract younger buyers who may prefer newer platforms like Depop, Poshmark, and StockX.

eBay has established sustainability initiatives focused on the circular economy, renewable energy, and responsible marketplace practices. The company is a signatory to the Science Based Targets initiative and has committed to achieving carbon neutrality for its operations, with significant progress in renewable energy usage and environmental stewardship.

The company's sustainability program centers on sustainable commerce, leveraging its position as a leading recommerce platform to extend product lifecycles and reduce waste. eBay's 2024 Recommerce Report reveals increased consumer support for pre-loved shopping, with nearly nine in ten consumers planning to maintain or increase spending on second-hand goods, signaling sustained momentum for the circular economy.

In environmental operations, eBay achieved 100% renewable electricity sourcing for its offices and data centers in 2024 and 2025, reaching this sustainability milestone a year ahead of schedule. The company continues to assess future energy demand and source renewables to meet planned growth, demonstrating commitment to sustainable infrastructure development.

eBay publishes an annual Impact Report with independently assured ESG performance data covering environmental, social, and governance metrics. The company's sustainability materiality assessment, conducted with independent research firm GlobeScan, prioritizes the most salient issues to sustainability and eBay's business operations.

eBay has received recognition for its sustainability leadership, workplace practices, and contributions to the circular economy from independent rating organizations.

• Gender Equality Recognition: eBay has been recognized for commitments to gender equality and workplace diversity, reflecting the company's efforts to create an inclusive work environment across its global operations.
• Sustainable Commerce Leadership: The company has received awards for its role in promoting the circular economy and sustainable consumption patterns through its recommerce platform and pre-loved goods marketplace.
• Renewable Energy Achievement: eBay has been recognized for achieving 100% renewable electricity sourcing for its operations two years ahead of schedule, demonstrating leadership in corporate environmental sustainability.
• Community Impact Recognition: The eBay Foundation has been acknowledged for backing community-led entrepreneurship with $3 million in grants, supporting economic development in underserved communities.
• ESG Reporting Excellence: eBay's comprehensive ESG reporting, including GRI, SASB, and TCFD indices with independent assurance, has been recognized for transparency and completeness in sustainability disclosure.

eBay has faced regulatory scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions regarding counterfeit goods sold on its platform. The company has invested in anti-counterfeiting measures and authentication services.

In 2020, eBay faced a significant legal scandal when several former employees were charged with cyberstalking a couple who operated an e-commerce newsletter that had been critical of eBay. The employees allegedly sent disturbing packages and conducted surveillance of the couple. Several employees pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison. eBay's former CEO Devin Wenig resigned in 2019 amid the investigation.