Key Stats
Naspers Ltd is a South African multinational internet and media company headquartered in Cape Town that has transformed from a traditional newspaper publisher into one of the world’s largest technology investors. Founded in 1915 as Die Nasionale Pers, the company initially focused on Afrikaans-language publishing, similar to how Hearst Corporation evolved from newspaper publishing into a diversified media conglomerate.
Today, Naspers operates through its investment subsidiary Prosus and holds significant stakes in global technology companies, most notably Tencent Holdings. The company’s operations span internet services, pay-television, food delivery, classifieds, and financial technology across multiple continents. Its investment in Chinese tech giant Tencent for $32 million in 2001 has become one of the most successful venture capital deals in history.
Naspers maintains a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and represents Africa’s most valuable company by market capitalization. The company wholly owns Media24, South Africa’s largest publishing company, and Takealot.com, the country’s leading online retailer.
Naspers History
Naspers Co-founders
Naspers Revenue
Naspers reported trailing twelve-month revenue of $7.18 billion as of October 2025. The company’s revenue streams have evolved from traditional print media to digital platforms, ecommerce, and technology investments. Revenue growth has been driven by its portfolio companies across food delivery, classifieds, and fintech sectors in emerging markets.
Naspers Acquisitions
Naspers has pursued an aggressive acquisition strategy to build its global internet and technology portfolio. The company’s acquisition philosophy focuses on emerging markets with high growth potential, particularly in ecommerce, food delivery, and digital payments sectors.
In 2001, the company made its most significant acquisition by purchasing 46.5% of Tencent for $32 million. This stake in the Chinese technology giant has appreciated to over $120 billion in value, representing one of the most successful venture capital investments ever recorded. Beyond Tencent, Naspers expanded into European markets through the 2007 acquisition of Gadu-Gadu, Poland’s leading instant messaging service with 8 million registered accounts.
The 2008 purchase of Tradus for £946 million marked Naspers’ largest acquisition and provided ownership of Allegro.pl, Poland’s dominant online auction platform. In 2009, the company acquired a 91% interest in BuscaPé, Latin America’s leading comparison shopping platform serving over 100 portals. Naspers entered Middle Eastern markets in 2012 by taking a significant minority stake in Souq.com, the region’s premier ecommerce portal.
The company’s food delivery investments included acquiring stakes in Delivery Hero and a 100% interest in iFood, Brazil’s leading food delivery platform. In 2012, Naspers purchased 70% of eMAG, Romania’s largest ecommerce site, followed by acquiring stakes in India’s Swiggy in 2018. Naspers also invested heavily in online classifieds through OLX Group, payments through PayU, and education technology through stakes in BYJU’S and Udemy.
More recently, Prosus announced in 2025 its intention to acquire Just Eat Takeaway.com for €4.1 billion to consolidate its position in European food delivery markets. This followed the December 2024 agreement to acquire Despegar, Latin America’s leading online travel agency, for $1.7 billion. These acquisitions demonstrate Naspers’ continued commitment to building leading consumer internet businesses in high-growth markets.
Naspers Competitors
Naspers competes in the global technology investment and internet services sectors. Primary competitors include investment holding companies and technology conglomerates operating in similar emerging markets and digital platform businesses across ecommerce, entertainment, and fintech.
| Competitor | Country | Primary Business |
|---|---|---|
| Prosus N.V. | Netherlands | Internet Investment (Naspers subsidiary) |
| SoftBank Group | Japan | Technology Investment & Telecommunications |
| Sony Corporation | Japan | Entertainment & Technology |
| Delivery Hero | Germany | Food Delivery Platform |
| Just Eat Takeaway | Netherlands | Food Delivery Services |
| Alibaba Group | China | Ecommerce & Technology |
| Investor AB | Sweden | Investment Holding Company |
| IAC/InterActiveCorp | United States | Internet & Media Conglomerate |
| Sea Limited | Singapore | Digital Entertainment & Ecommerce |
| Rakuten | Japan | Ecommerce & Internet Services |
Naspers Market Cap
Naspers market capitalization stands at $57.2 billion as of October 2025, making it Africa’s most valuable publicly traded company. The company’s valuation is heavily influenced by its stake in Tencent, which accounts for a significant portion of its net asset value.
FAQs
What is Naspers known for?
Naspers is renowned for its 2001 investment of $32 million in Tencent Holdings, which became one of the most successful venture capital investments in history, now valued at over $120 billion.
Who owns Naspers?
Naspers is publicly traded on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Its Dutch subsidiary Prosus owns approximately 49% of Naspers in a cross-ownership structure, with remaining shares held by institutional and retail investors.
When was Naspers founded?
Naspers was founded on May 12, 1915, by attorney William Angus Hofmeyr as Die Nasionale Pers, initially established as an Afrikaans-language newspaper and magazine publisher in Cape Town, South Africa.
What companies does Naspers own?
Naspers owns Media24, Takealot.com, and maintains a 56.92% stake in Prosus. Through Prosus, it holds investments in Tencent, iFood, PayU, OLX Group, Delivery Hero, and numerous other technology companies.
How did Naspers transform from publishing to technology?
Under CEO Koos Bekker’s leadership from 1997, Naspers diversified from print media into pay-television and internet services, culminating in the transformative 2001 Tencent investment that shifted focus to technology.
