Vend Marketplaces ASA

Vend Marketplaces ASA is the Northern European online-marketplaces business that emerged from the restructuring of Schibsted, the Norwegian media and technology group. The company is headquartered in Oslo and operates digital platforms that connect buyers and sellers, with activities concentrated in the Nordic region. Its marketplace portfolio is associated with established classified-advertising and transactional platforms including Finn.no in Norway, Blocket in Sweden, Tori.fi in Finland, and related Nordic services. The business represents the marketplace side of Schibsted's long-term transition from a newspaper publisher and broadcaster into a digital classifieds company. Schibsted traces its origins to Christian Michael Schibsted's publishing company, founded in 1839, and later built a major Norwegian media position through Aftenposten and Verdens Gang. From the 1990s onward, the group increasingly developed and acquired internet businesses, eventually making online marketplaces a central part of its strategy. The marketplace model allows individuals and businesses to list vehicles, homes, consumer goods, jobs, and other products or services, while the operator earns revenue through listing fees, visibility products, subscriptions, and related digital services; the precise revenue mix varies by platform. A major portfolio separation occurred in 2019, when Schibsted transferred its online marketplaces outside Northern Europe into Adevinta. That transaction placed brands such as Kleinanzeigen, Leboncoin, and Shpock, together with interests in other European classified sites, in the newly created company. Schibsted retained a significant minority holding in Adevinta, reported as 22.8 percent in December 2022, but continued to develop its Nordic marketplace assets separately. In 2024, Schibsted sold its media operations to The Tinius Trust through Blommenholm Industrier. The reorganization divided the former group into Schibsted Media, a trust-owned media company, and a publicly listed marketplace company that was initially known as Schibsted Marketplaces and became the legal successor to the original Schibsted company. In 2025, the marketplace company announced that it would adopt the name Vend Marketplaces, with the change taking effect during the second quarter of that year. Vend's strategic identity is therefore based on operating trusted, high-traffic local marketplaces rather than on a single consumer product. Its competitive assets include strong national brands, accumulated transaction and listing data, network effects between buyers and sellers, and local market knowledge. The company remains distinct from Schibsted Media, although both businesses share roots in the historic Schibsted group. Christian Printzell Halvorsen is identified as the chief executive officer. The available reference material does not establish a separate founding date, founder, corporate website, or exchange ticker for Vend under its new name.

Vend Marketplaces is the successor to the marketplace activities developed within Schibsted, a Norwegian company whose roots extend back to the nineteenth century. Christian Michael Schibsted established Chr. Schibsteds Forlag in 1839. The business later became associated with the newspaper Christiania Adresseblad, first published in 1860 and known as Aftenposten from 1885. Schibsted expanded its Norwegian media position by acquiring Verdens Gang in 1966. These newspaper assets provided the group with a substantial national audience, but the company gradually broadened its activities beyond print media. Schibsted became a corporation under the leadership of Tinius Nagell-Erichsen in 1989 and was listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange in 1992. During the 1990s and early 2000s, the group had interests in television, including ownership stakes in TV 2 in Norway and TV4 in Sweden. Its strategic direction later shifted toward internet businesses, especially online classifieds and marketplaces. Platforms such as Finn.no, Blocket.se, Tori.fi, and InfoJobs became important examples of this digital expansion. These services applied the audience, brand recognition, and commercial capabilities of a media group to marketplaces where users could list and discover vehicles, property, jobs, and general merchandise. In 2019, Schibsted separated its online marketplaces outside Northern Europe into Adevinta. The transaction included well-known services such as Kleinanzeigen, Leboncoin.fr, and Shpock, as well as stakes in comparable European websites. Schibsted continued to hold a substantial minority position in Adevinta, reported at 22.8 percent in December 2022. The Nordic marketplace operations remained within the Schibsted structure and continued to develop as a distinct regional portfolio. A more fundamental corporate separation took place in 2024. Schibsted sold its media operations to The Tinius Trust through Blommenholm Industrier. The result was a division between Schibsted Media, which became fully owned by the Trust, and a publicly listed marketplaces company. The latter was initially called Schibsted Marketplaces and served as the legal successor to the original Schibsted company. In 2025, it announced a further identity change: the marketplace company would become Vend Marketplaces, with the change planned for the second quarter. The Vend identity reflects a business focused on operating digital marketplaces rather than publishing newspapers or running broadcast media. Its principal assets are established Nordic platforms such as Finn.no, Blocket, and Tori.fi. These services depend on liquidity and trust: buyers benefit from a large supply of listings, while sellers benefit from access to a large audience. The company can support this model through paid listings, promoted placement, advertising, and other marketplace services, although the supplied reference material does not provide a detailed financial breakdown. Vend is headquartered in Oslo and is led by chief executive Christian Printzell Halvorsen. The available sources do not specify a distinct founding year or individual founder for Vend as a standalone company.

• 2025

  Rebrand to Vend Marketplaces

  [1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  Schibsted Marketplaces announced that it would adopt the Vend Marketplaces name during the second quarter.

• 2024

  Corporate separation of media and marketplaces

  [1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  The media operations were transferred to The Tinius Trust, while the listed marketplace successor operated initially under the Schibsted Marketplaces name.

• 2021

  Expansion of the Danish marketplace portfolio

  [1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  Schibsted acquired dba.dk and Bilbasen, adding established Danish classified and automotive marketplace brands.

• 2019

  Creation of Adevinta

  [1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  Schibsted transferred its marketplaces outside Northern Europe into Adevinta while retaining its Nordic marketplace operations.

• 1992

  Schibsted lists on the Oslo Stock Exchange

  [1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  The historic Schibsted company became publicly listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange.

• 1966

  Acquisition of Verdens Gang

  [1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  Schibsted acquired Verdens Gang, strengthening its position in Norwegian mass media before its later digital transformation.

• 1839

  Schibsted publishing origins

  [1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  Christian Michael Schibsted founded Chr. Schibsteds Forlag, the publishing enterprise from which the later Schibsted group developed.

A Northern European marketplace group built around trusted national platforms that connect consumers and businesses with buyers, sellers, and service providers.

• General classified and online marketplace

  Finn.no

  A Norwegian marketplace associated with listings across several categories, including property, vehicles, jobs, and consumer goods. It is one of the principal national platforms connected with Vend's Nordic marketplace portfolio.

• General classified and online marketplace

  Blocket

  A Swedish classified marketplace serving buyers and sellers across consumer and specialist categories. The platform represents Vend's presence in Sweden and contributes to the group's portfolio of nationally recognized Nordic marketplace brands.

• General classified and online marketplace

  Tori.fi

  A Finnish online marketplace where users can discover and post classified listings. It is part of the Nordic operating footprint inherited from Schibsted's marketplace activities.

• Danish classified marketplace

  dba.dk

  A Danish classified marketplace acquired by Schibsted in 2021 and subsequently associated with the Nordic marketplace portfolio. The service connects users with listings across multiple consumer categories.

• Automotive marketplace

  Bilbasen

  A Danish automotive marketplace acquired alongside dba.dk in 2021. Its focus is vehicle listings and related buyer-seller discovery within the Danish market.

• 2025

  Adopt the Vend Marketplaces nameStrategy

  Background

  Following the separation from Schibsted's media operations, the marketplace company required a distinct corporate identity.

  Action taken

  Schibsted Marketplaces announced a name change to Vend Marketplaces, scheduled to take effect during the second quarter.

  Aftermath

  The rebrand established Vend as the public-facing identity for the Northern European marketplace company.

  Source

• 2024

  Separate media from marketplace operationsStrategy

  Background

  Schibsted reorganized its businesses to create more focused media and marketplace companies.

  Action taken

  The media operations were sold to The Tinius Trust through Blommenholm Industrier, while the listed marketplace successor continued as Schibsted Marketplaces.

  Aftermath

  The marketplace business became the legal successor to the original Schibsted company and prepared for an independent identity under the Vend name.

  Source

• 2019

  Separate non-Nordic marketplaces into AdevintaM&A

  Background

  Schibsted sought to organize its marketplace activities around a separate international company while retaining its Northern European operations.

  Action taken

  Online marketplaces outside Northern Europe, including Kleinanzeigen, Leboncoin.fr, and Shpock, were transferred into Adevinta.

  Aftermath

  Schibsted retained a significant minority interest in Adevinta while focusing its own operating marketplace portfolio on the Nordic region.

  Source

• 2025

  Schibsted Marketplaces announces the Vend name[1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  The marketplace successor to Schibsted announced that it would change its name to Vend Marketplaces, with the new name scheduled to take effect during the second quarter.

• 2025

  Schibsted Marketplaces announces the Vend Marketplaces name[1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Northern European marketplaces company announced that it would change its name from Schibsted Marketplaces to Vend Marketplaces, with the change scheduled to take effect during the second quarter of 2025.

• 2024

  Schibsted reorganizes into media and marketplaces companies[1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Schibsted sold its media operations to The Tinius Trust through Blommenholm Industrier and reorganized the group into Schibsted Media and a separately focused listed marketplace company.

• 2024

  Schibsted separates its media and marketplace businesses[1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Schibsted sold its media operations to The Tinius Trust through Blommenholm Industrier, creating a trust-owned media company and a separately focused listed marketplaces company that became the legal successor to the original Schibsted company.

• 2022

  Schibsted retains a minority stake in Adevinta[1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  As of December 2022, Schibsted continued to hold a reported 22.8 percent interest in Adevinta after the marketplace separation.

• 2019

  Schibsted separates international marketplaces into Adevinta[1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Schibsted spun off its online marketplaces outside Northern Europe into Adevinta, transferring brands including Kleinanzeigen, Leboncoin, and Shpock and other European marketplace interests.

• 2019

  Schibsted completes the separation of its Northern European marketplace portfolio from Adevinta[1]Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Schibsted spun off its online marketplaces outside Northern Europe into Adevinta, while retaining its Northern European marketplace operations and a minority interest in Adevinta.

1. 1Vend Marketplaces ASAen.wikipedia.org