eBay Announces Layoffs of About 1,000 Employees, Accounting for 9% of Global Workforce
eBay announced it will cut about 9% of its global workforce, approximately 1,000 positions, to streamline operations and redirect resources to the fastest-growing areas.
CEO Jamie Iannone stated in an internal memo that the strategy is effective and requires prioritization of investment focus, with affected employees to be notified in the coming days.
As of the end of 2025, the company will have approximately 12,300 employees. This marks the second round of layoffs in 2026, following a reduction of about 800 employees in February (which accounted for 6%).
eBay expects to incur pre-tax restructuring costs of $130 million to $150 million, primarily related to severance and termination benefits, most of which will be recognized in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The company also indicated that third-quarter performance is expected to exceed previous guidance and will continue hiring in priority areas.
Meta's recent quarterly employee count has dropped to 66,775, a 15% year-on-year decrease, reflecting previous layoffs of about 10% and a shift of resources towards artificial intelligence.
Funds are being redirected from non-core functions to high-growth businesses and AI investments, with platform companies improving cost structures through layoffs, impacting affected employees and non-priority departments.
Source: Public Information
ABAB AI Insight
Since 2023, eBay has undergone multiple rounds of layoffs, with approximately 1,000 positions cut this time following a reduction of about 800 in February 2026, totaling nearly 1,800 positions this year. The company previously acquired Depop and is focusing on growth categories such as luxury goods, collectibles, and refurbished items. Meta implemented a layoff of about 10% (approximately 8,000 employees) in May 2026, reallocating some employees to AI teams while significantly increasing capital expenditures.
In terms of capital strategy, eBay is shifting labor costs towards high-growth categories and simplifying operations, with restructuring costs primarily reflected in the fourth quarter. Meta, on the other hand, is concentrating capital expenditures on AI infrastructure and models while reducing its workforce, with the quarterly employee count decline reflecting a shift of resources from general functions to AI priority areas.
Similar cases include multiple rounds of efficiency layoffs by Amazon and Google in 2023-2024, as well as traditional platform companies shrinking non-core teams amid intensified competition. Currently, large tech platforms are in a phase of releasing resources through layoffs and concentrating investments in AI and high-growth businesses.
This essentially represents a restructuring of the industry chain: labor is being reallocated from general operations and support functions to AI and high-growth verticals, with pricing power and resource allocation concentrating on companies that can enhance efficiency through layoffs and increase technological investments.
ABAB News · Cognitive Law
Layoffs signal a shift of resources to high-growth areas
Efficiency improvements are often accompanied by ongoing workforce reductions
AI investments take precedence over maintaining existing staffing levels