Wondering who’s behind one of the internet’s fastest-growing video platforms? Rumble has gained significant attention as an alternative to YouTube.
Rumble is owned by its founder and CEO Chris Pavlovski, a Macedonian Canadian technology entrepreneur who started the company in 2013.
The platform has positioned itself as a place that’s “immune to cancel culture” and values free speech. Pavlovski continues to lead the company as its Chief Executive Officer, bringing his experience as a three-time successful entrepreneur with over 20 years in the industry.
Rumble went public and now trades under the ticker symbol RUM.
Key Takeaways
- Rumble was founded in 2013 by Chris Pavlovski who continues to serve as the company’s CEO.
- The company is publicly traded under the ticker symbol RUM and maintains independence from major tech corporations.
- Rumble provides both video-sharing services and cloud infrastructure, notably hosting platforms like Truth Social.
Ownership Structure of Rumble
Rumble’s ownership is spread across insiders, institutions, and retail investors, with founder Chris Pavlovski maintaining significant control through the company’s stock structure.
Major Shareholders
Rumble insiders own about 55.63% of the company, showing strong internal confidence in the business. Chris Pavlovski, the founder and CEO, holds a significant stake as the driving force behind the platform since founding it in 2013.
Another notable shareholder is Bongino, Inc. which owns 5.594% of Rumble’s shares, representing conservative commentator Daniel Bongino’s substantial investment in the platform.
Robert Arsov maintains a 1.79% ownership position in the company, adding to the list of individual investors with meaningful stakes.
Institutional investors control approximately 8.64% of Rumble, with Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd. holding 2.807% of shares.
Share Distribution
Rumble’s stock is structured with Class A common stock making up the publicly traded shares. The company went public through a SPAC merger with Acquisition Corp in February 2021.
The company’s voting capital stock gives insiders like Pavlovski considerable control over corporate decisions, despite outside investment.
Retail investors hold about 35.73% of Rumble shares, showing significant public interest in the platform. Among institutional stakeholders, Holdings Sa De Cv Tether is the largest institutional owner.
Rumble trades under the NASDAQ ticker symbol “RUM,” making it accessible to public market investors interested in alternative media platforms.
Corporate Governance
Rumble’s corporate governance structure is built around its founder and a selected board that oversees the company’s operations. The video-sharing platform follows specific regulatory requirements as a publicly traded company on NASDAQ.
Board of Directors
Rumble was founded by Chris Pavlovski, a Macedonian Canadian technology entrepreneur who serves as the Chief Executive Officer. As a three-time successful entrepreneur, Pavlovski brings over 20 years of experience to his leadership role at Rumble.
The board includes other notable members like Nancy Armstrong, who serves on multiple committees including the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee. Paul Cappuccio is another key board member who chairs certain governance functions.
The board structure follows typical corporate governance models with various committees handling specialized oversight roles. Committee compositions show a distribution of responsibilities among board members to ensure proper corporate oversight.
Compliance and Regulations
As a publicly traded company under the ticker symbol NASDAQ
Rumble must adhere to NASDAQ listing requirements and corporate governance standards. This includes maintaining independent directors on its board and following proper committee structures.
The company operates under Delaware General Corporation Law, which governs many aspects of its corporate structure and shareholder rights. This legal framework provides guidelines for board responsibilities, shareholder meetings, and corporate actions.
Rumble’s governance also involves oversight of its cloud services business, which hosts other platforms including Truth Social. This requires additional compliance considerations related to content moderation and digital services regulations.
Financial Aspects
Rumble’s financial landscape has evolved significantly with major investments and strategic moves shaping its market position. The company’s financial structure balances ownership control while seeking growth capital.
Analyst Perspectives
Wall Street analysts have shown increasing interest in Rumble as the platform grows. While detailed analyst coverage is still developing, the company’s unique position as an alternative video platform has attracted attention from investors looking for tech diversification.
Major financial institutions including Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd hold around 2.8% of the company’s shares, showing institutional confidence in Rumble’s business model. Other significant shareholders include Bongino, Inc. with approximately 5.6% ownership.
Rumble’s public market debut came through a business combination with CF Acquisition Corp. VI, making it accessible to retail investors while maintaining its founding vision.
Strategic Investments and Growth
In a major financial development, Rumble recently secured a substantial $775 million investment from Tether, the cryptocurrency giant. This strategic partnership dramatically boosted investor confidence, sending Rumble’s stock value soaring by more than 100% following the announcement.
Despite this massive cash injection, CEO Chris Pavlovski maintained his controlling stake in the company. This arrangement allows Rumble to pursue aggressive growth initiatives while preserving its founding vision and leadership structure.
The Tether investment strengthens Rumble’s cloud services business, which hosts platforms like Truth Social. These growth moves position Rumble to expand its infrastructure capabilities and potentially challenge larger video hosting competitors.
Legal and Transaction Documents
Understanding the legal framework and transaction documents related to Rumble’s ownership structure helps clarify who controls the company. These documents reveal important relationships, obligations, and rights among stakeholders.
Information Statements
Information statements play a crucial role in Rumble’s corporate governance. When major changes occur that require stockholder approval, the company must file either a Preliminary Information Statement or a Definitive Information Statement with the SEC under Section 14(c) regulations.
These documents outline important changes to the company’s structure, such as the business combination with CF Acquisition Corp that helped Rumble go public. A Schedule 14C is filed when stockholder action is taken without a meeting through written consent.
For investors wanting to track Rumble’s ownership changes, watching for new information statements in SEC filings provides valuable insights. These statements must be sent to all shareholders of record as of a specific date.
Stockholder Agreements and Voting
Rumble’s ownership structure includes several key stockholder agreements that dictate voting rights and control. The majority stockholder holds significant power in company decisions, often making formal proxy solicitations unnecessary.
After Rumble’s recent $775 million strategic investment from Tether, CEO Chris Pavlovski maintained his controlling stake in the company. This arrangement was formalized through stockholder support agreements.
Key elements of these agreements include:
- Voting rights allocations
- Transfer restrictions on shares
- Rights of first refusal
- Tag-along and drag-along provisions
These agreements help prevent unexpected changes in control while protecting minority shareholder interests. They’re typically filed as exhibits to major transaction agreements with the SEC.
Filing and Fees
Maintaining proper documentation of ownership requires specific filings and associated fees.
When Rumble underwent its business combination to go public, the company had to submit numerous documents to regulatory authorities.
The SEC charges filing fees based on the transaction value. These fees can be substantial for major deals like Rumble’s public offering. For their business combination, financial advisors including Guggenheim Securities helped navigate these requirements.
Common filings include:
- Form 8-K for material events
- Schedule 13D for significant ownership changes
- Form 4 for insider transactions
Tender offers require additional filings, including detailed disclosure documents and waiting periods.
The company must disclose all filing fees in their quarterly and annual reports. This provides another window into ownership-related activities.
