Bonnier LLC has acquired Nextory, the Stockholm-based streaming service for audiobooks, ebooks, and digital magazines, for an undisclosed amount. The deal transfers ownership of the platform, which was founded in 2015 by Shadi Bitar and Ninos Malki, to the Bonnier group, a move that consolidates a major European player in digital reading under one corporate umbrella.
Nextory operates in ten European markets and offers a catalog exceeding 900,000 titles. Its service model provides subscribers with unlimited access to literature across multiple digital formats, positioning it as a significant distributor of stories and knowledge. Bonnier LLC, a diversified media group, brings substantial publishing assets and distribution networks to the table, making the acquisition a natural fit for expanding its digital footprint.
The strategic rationale centers on vertical integration. Bonnier’s existing publishing operations can feed content directly into Nextory’s platform, while Nextory gains access to a broader range of proprietary titles and marketing muscle. For Nextory, the acquisition offers financial stability and operational scale, allowing it to compete more aggressively against larger rivals in the audiobook and ebook space. The founders, who built the company from a startup into a regional leader, will see their platform’s independence preserved under new ownership, though specific management plans were not disclosed.
The transaction underscores a broader industry trend of content owners absorbing distribution channels to control the full value chain. For subscribers, the immediate impact is likely minimal, as the service will continue operating in its current markets. The combined entity is expected to deepen its catalog and potentially expand into new regions, leveraging Bonnier’s infrastructure to accelerate Nextory’s growth trajectory. The deal closes a chapter for the founders while opening a new one for the platform’s long-term development.