Getty Images has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The company is pursuing a prepackaged restructuring plan announced on October 12, which aims to reduce debt and transition the business to private ownership under the Getty family and Koch Equity Development.
The restructuring deal includes up to $533 million in equity investment from the Getty family and Koch affiliates. Additionally, the company secured $143 million in financing from a Koch affiliate to maintain operations during the process. Getty expects to complete the restructuring by the end of 2026, pending regulatory and court approvals.
Financial records indicate that Getty holds assets and liabilities each estimated between $1 billion and $10 billion. Major creditors have already agreed to terms, including the retirement of $270 million in unsecured bonds and the extension of debt maturities by secured lenders.
The company stated that operations will continue normally for customers, employees, and partners. This filing follows the termination of a proposed $3.7 billion merger with Shutterstock in July 2026. Getty faces significant market pressure from rising debt and competition from AI-generated imagery platforms.
