Spotify’s Workforce Slashed by 17% Due to Increased Capital Expenses

Spotify is eliminating about 17% jobs, its third round of layoffs this year, as the music streaming looks to become “both productive and efficient.” In a note to employees Monday, Spotify founder and chief executive Daniel Ek said the right-sizing of the workforce is crucial for the company to face the “challenges ahead.” He cited the slow economic growth and rising capital costs among reasons for the job cuts, saying the firm took advantage of lower-cost capital in 2020 and 2021 to invest significantly in the business. “I recognize this will impact a number of individuals who have made valuable contributions. To be blunt, many smart, talented and hard-working people will be departing us,” he wrote in the note, which the company later published on the blog. Spotify employs about 10,000 people, meaning that Monday’s move will impact over 1,500 employees. Impacted employees will be notified later in the day, he said. The new wave of layoff follows Spotify cutting about 6% jobs in June this year and another few hundred employees in January. “I realize that for many, a reduction of this size will feel surprisingly large given the recent positive earnings report and our performance. We debated making smaller reductions throughout 2024 and 2025,” wrote Ek. “Yet, considering the gap between our financial goal state and our current operational costs, I decided that a substantial action to rightsize our costs was the best option to accomplish our objectives.” More to follow.