YouTube is owned by Google, which is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. Google acquired YouTube in October 2006 for $1.65 billion in stock, making YouTube a part of Google's ecosystem while allowing it to maintain its distinct identity as a leading video-sharing platform
. Alphabet Inc., created in 2015 as Google's parent company, fully controls YouTube's operations and strategic decisions through Google
. The platform was originally founded by three former PayPal employees—Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim—in 2005 before being sold to Google
