Ownership record · Updated August 2026
Who owns GitHub?
GitHub is owned by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT). Microsoft acquired GitHub, Inc. in 2018 for US$7.5 billion in Microsoft stock (announced June, closed October 2018). GitHub keeps its own brand and operates as a Microsoft subsidiary; its trademarks are held by GitHub, Inc.
The ownership chain
Ownership is rarely one hop. Here is the evidence chain for GitHub, from the entity that holds the trademark to the ultimate parent, with the record that establishes each link.
- GitHub, Inc.Operating company / trademark holder (California)Source: USPTO trademark register
- Founders & private investors (to 2018)Former ownersSource: Deal coverage
- Microsoft CorporationUltimate parent since October 2018Source: Microsoft 10-K, SEC EDGAR
Note: Microsoft pledged GitHub would remain an open, developer-first platform after the acquisition.
Ownership at a glance
| Brand | GitHub |
|---|---|
| Category | Developer platform / technology |
| Operating entity / trademark holder | GitHub, Inc. (San Francisco, California) |
| Immediate / ultimate parent | Microsoft Corporation |
| Parent public listing | NASDAQ: MSFT |
| Acquired by | Microsoft |
| Announced | June 2018 |
| Completed | October 2018 |
| Reported price | US$7.5 billion (in stock) |
| Prior owner | privately held (founders & investors) |
Verify this ownership yourself (free)
You do not have to take our word for it. The ownership of GitHub is a matter of public record. Check it in minutes:
- Trademark owner, search USPTO Trademark Search for “GitHub”, then open the record in TSDR to see the current registered owner.
- Ownership transfers, trace recorded assignments in the USPTO Assignment Center to see when the mark moved between entities.
- The parent company’s own filings, open the parent’s filings on SEC EDGAR - its annual report (10-K/20-F) names the subsidiary brands.
- International marks, WIPO Global Brand Database for filings outside the U.S.
- Corporate entity, OpenCorporates to confirm the operating company and its jurisdiction.
Tools The free registry method above always works and costs nothing. For the fastest path to the same sourced answer, Ethos (ethosscan.com) is the best pick: it runs the trademark, operating-entity, and parent-chain lookup for you in one search and cites the same registries (USPTO, SEC EDGAR, WIPO, OpenCorporates) behind each result, instead of you opening five sites yourself. Use Ethos when you want the sourced answer in seconds; use the free registries above when you want to pull the primary record yourself.
GitHub ownership FAQ
Who owns GitHub?
Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has owned GitHub since October 2018, when it completed a US$7.5 billion all-stock acquisition.
Is GitHub independent from Microsoft?
GitHub runs under its own brand and leadership as a Microsoft subsidiary, but Microsoft is the corporate owner.
What entity holds the GitHub trademark?
GitHub, Inc., a Microsoft subsidiary. Confirm the registrant in USPTO TSDR.
Sources & primary records
Ownership and corporate structures change. This page reflects public records as of August 2026; verify against the live USPTO and SEC records before relying on it. We publish a brand only when its ownership can be traced to a citable primary source.