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Spotify is approaching the one-billion-user milestone after reporting 788 million monthly active users in Q3 2026. The streaming giant added 11 million users during the quarter, marking an 11% increase year-over-year.

Premium subscriptions also grew 9% to 306 million paying subscribers, exceeding company expectations by one million. The growth comes despite recent subscription price increases across more than 150 markets.

Spotify generated €4.97 billion in quarterly revenue, up 16% year-over-year, with Premium subscriptions accounting for €4.49 billion. Gross margin reached 33%, while operating income climbed to €672 million, reflecting the company's growing focus on profitability and operational efficiency.

Free cash flow reached €735 million for the quarter and €3.2 billion over the past 12 months. Meanwhile, programmatic advertising now represents more than 75% of ad sales, highlighting Spotify's increasing investment in automated advertising.

Beyond music streaming, Spotify continues expanding its creator monetization programs, including Creator Memberships in 34 markets and the Spotify Partner Program in more than 35 countries. The platform also supports independent musicians through initiatives offering 10,000 artists annually access to production tools such as LANDR and Splice.

However, artist royalties remain a major concern across the music industry. As Spotify approaches 800 million users and reports record financial performance, questions remain about whether that growth will translate into higher streaming payouts for DJs, producers, and independent labels.