Getty Images to File for Bankruptcy and Go Private

Getty Images Holdings Inc. has announced it will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and return to private ownership under a $533 million rescue deal.

The visual content provider confirmed the restructuring agreement on Monday, 12 October 2026, after securing support from major investors and creditors.

The company plans to begin an expedited prepackaged Chapter 11 process in the coming weeks, with the restructuring expected to close by the end of 2026.

Under the agreement, affiliates of the Getty family and Koch Equity Development (KED) will own 100 per cent of the reorganised company.

The investors have committed up to $533 million in new equity, while holders of Getty’s unsecured bonds have agreed to retire $270 million of notes.

Secured lenders have agreed to reduce interest costs and extend debt maturities.

Koch Equity Development has also committed up to $143 million in financing to support operations during the restructuring.

A Fall from Grace

The filing follows the collapse of Getty’s proposed $3.7 billion merger with rival Shutterstock in June 2026, after the United Kingdom’s (UK) Competition and Markets Authority required the sale of Shutterstock’s editorial business as a condition for approval.

Getty had incurred more than $100 million in professional fees and financing costs pursuing that deal.

The company reported total debt of approximately $2.1 billion as of 30 June 2026, against a market valuation of just $20.74 million as of the previous Friday’s close.

Getty shares have lost approximately 99 per cent of their value since the company returned to public markets in 2022 through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) transaction that valued it at around $4.8 billion.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) commenced delisting proceedings against the company at the end of September.

Getty said operations would continue normally throughout the process, with employees, photographers, contributors, partners, customers and suppliers remaining unaffected.

Vendors will continue to be paid in full in the ordinary course of business.

Existing shareholders are at risk of receiving nothing for their holdings.