Snapchat’s Santa Monica Team Reduces Workforce by 16%
Snap Inc. to Cut 1,000 Jobs in Major Workforce Reduction
Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, announced on Wednesday plans to reduce its global workforce by approximately 1,000 positions, equating to around 16% of its total employees. This decision reflects ongoing efforts to restructure the company amidst significant operational challenges.
In a regulatory filing, Snap disclosed that the layoffs would incur an estimated cost of between $95 million and $130 million in severance payments and related expenses. The company emphasized that this headcount reduction aims to streamline operations and reallocate resources to its primary initiatives, thereby enhancing operational efficiencies and accelerating its path to profitability.
As of December 31, 2025, Snap had a workforce of 5,261 full-time employees. CEO Evan Spiegel indicated in a letter to staff that an additional 300 open positions would remain unfilled as part of the restructuring process.
This is not the first instance of job cuts for the Santa Monica, California-based firm. In 2024, Snap eliminated about 10% of its workforce, impacting around 530 employees. The company has continued to make reductions, including a 3% staff cut in late 2023 and a substantial 20% reduction in 2022.
Snapchat, which boasts an average of 474 million daily users, is widely recognized for its disappearing photos and videos. According to its latest earnings report, Snap’s net loss narrowed to $460 million in 2025, while revenue increased to $5.9 billion, signaling potential stabilization amid ongoing challenges in the competitive social media landscape.
