Opera
Opera is a publicly traded Norwegian web browser company offering Chromium-based browsers (Opera One, GX, Mini, Neon) and the MiniPay stablecoin wallet, serving approximately 284 million monthly active users globally with advertising and search licensing as primary revenue streams.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersOslo, Norway
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Opera does
Opera is a publicly traded Norwegian web browser company (NASDAQ: OPRA), founded in 1995 and headquartered in Oslo with engineering hubs in Wrocław, Poland and Linköping/Gothenburg, Sweden. The company develops a portfolio of Chromium-based browsers — Opera One (flagship desktop), Opera GX (gaming browser with 34M+ users), Opera Mini (data-saving mobile), Opera Air (mindfulness-focused), and Opera Neon (experimental AI agentic browser) — serving approximately 284 million monthly active users and 350+ million cumulative downloads globally. Opera has expanded into adjacent verticals including MiniPay, a non-custodial stablecoin wallet built on the Celo blockchain with 16M+ activated wallets across 65+ countries, and a MiniPay Visa debit card enabling stablecoin spending at 175M+ merchants.
Opera's technology stack is built on the Chromium browser engine with proprietary UI layers and a deeply integrated AI surface. Capabilities span built-in Opera AI, Google Gemini (across 80M+ users), ChatGPT, and Claude via the MCP Connector using the open Model Context Protocol. Native features include Tab Islands (contextual tab grouping), free VPN (Deloitte-audited no-log policy, AES-256 encryption), uBlock-compatible ad blocker, sidebar-integrated messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord) and social platforms (Instagram, X, Bluesky, TikTok), music services (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music), plus productivity features like Workspaces, Split Screen, Flow, and Battery Saver (extending laptop battery up to 35%). The MiniPay stack adds Celo blockchain non-custodial wallet infrastructure with USDT/USDC/Tether Gold support, Visa card issuance through Monavate, and Gnosis Pay technical operations.
Opera's business model is advertising-driven. Approximately 65% of revenue derives from advertising (display, native, and AI-driven through the adMarketplace partnership), with search licensing (primarily Google as default search engine) as a second major stream; technology licensing and a nascent $19.90/month Opera Neon subscription contribute the balance. Q1 2026 revenue reached $175.8M (+23% YoY), FY2025 revenue was $614.8M (+28% YoY), and management guides FY2026 revenue to $727-740M (18-20% growth). Go-to-market is product-led growth via free downloads distributed directly through opera.com, Google Play, and Apple App Store, targeting self-selecting users who choose Opera over pre-installed Chrome/Edge/Safari defaults. Customer segments span individual consumers globally (60M+ Western MAUs plus emerging-market users via MiniPay), gamers (GX), and advertisers; AI-driven monetization via the AI Discover Beta program represents an emerging fourth vector.
Opera firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Opera
- Legal name
- Opera Norway AS
- Website
- https://www.opera.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Opera is a publicly traded Norwegian web browser company offering Chromium-based browsers (Opera One, GX, Mini, Neon) and the MiniPay stablecoin wallet, serving approximately 284 million monthly active users globally with advertising and search licensing as primary revenue streams.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Opera industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Web Browser Software
- akta.pro primary industry
- Game & In-App Content Stores (BPAMADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Device & Client App Ecosystems for Cloud Gaming (TV/OTT apps, mobile clients, thin clients) (MPAFAHAG), iGaming Platform Providers (Turnkey/Casino & Sportsbook Platforms) (MPAEAKAA)
Keywords
Where Opera is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oslo
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Opera business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Search / Query Revenue: Revenue from search licensing agreements, primarily with Google as the default search engine. Opera earns a share of advertising revenue generated from search queries. Query revenue was $58 million in Q1 2026, growing 23% year-over-year.
- Advertising Revenue: Primary revenue driver comprising 65% of total revenue. Includes display advertising, native advertising, and AI-driven advertising through Opera's adMarketplace partnership. Advertising revenue was $117 million in Q1 2026, growing 24% year-over-year. Strong performance from e-commerce advertising drove unprecedented sequential increases.
- Technology Licensing: Revenue from licensing Opera's browser technology, data, and infrastructure to third parties. Contributes to diversified revenue alongside core advertising.
- Opera Neon Subscription: $19.90 per month subscription for Opera Neon experimental AI browser offering premium AI models (GPT-5.1, Gemini 3 Pro), autonomous agent capabilities, and advanced browsing automation features. Represents emerging subscription revenue stream.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Opera Neon subscription at $19.90/month |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Opera product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Opera develops and distributes a portfolio of Chromium-based web browsers for desktop, mobile, and gaming platforms, including Opera Browser, Opera One, Opera Air, Opera GX, Opera Neon, and Opera Mini. The browsers integrate built-in privacy features (free VPN, ad blocker, tracker blocking), AI assistance, productivity tools, and sidebar integrations with messengers and streaming services. Opera also operates MiniPay, a non-custodial stablecoin wallet built on the Celo blockchain, and generates revenue primarily through search licensing, advertising, and technology licensing agreements.
Product overview
Opera is a browser and AI company offering a portfolio of web browsers for desktop, mobile, and gaming use. The product lineup includes: Opera Browser (flagship desktop browser), Opera One (latest flagship desktop browser with evolved AI and modular design), Opera Air (mindfulness-focused browser), Opera GX (gaming browser with resource controls), Opera Neon (experimental AI agentic browser), Opera Mini (lightweight mobile browser with data savings), and Opera for Android/iOS. Key integrated services include MiniPay stablecoin wallet (built on Celo blockchain), Opera AI assistant, free and premium VPN, ad blocker, and productivity features like Tab Islands, Workspaces, Split Screen, and Flow file sharing. Opera also integrates messaging platforms (WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram, Slack, Discord), social media (Instagram, X, Bluesky, TikTok), and music services (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, Tidal, SoundCloud) directly into its sidebar. The company generates revenue through search, advertising, and licensing agreements.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Opera Neon: An AI-focused browser built around the concept of the agentic web, designed to actively assist users with tasks, workflows, and online interactions through AI-driven agents. Available as a subscription at $19.90/month.
- Opera GX
- Opera Air
- Opera Mini
Products and services
- Opera Browser Flagship web browser for desktop and mobile devices offering built-in free VPN, ad blocker, tracker protection, integrated AI assistant, and productivity tools such as Tab Islands and Workspaces.
- Opera One Latest flagship desktop browser with modular design, evolved Tab Islands, advanced AI integration, Google services sidebar, and dynamic themes such as the Spotify Sonic Theme.
- Opera Air
Quantifiable outcome
- Pages load up to 90% faster with ad blocking enabled
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Opera
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Opera technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration40 records
AI capability12 records
Feature8 records
Opera partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- VisacoreVisa partnership enables MiniPay Card, a Visa-branded debit card allowing MiniPay's 16 million+ wallet users to spend stablecoins at over 175 million merchant locations worldwide. Card is issued through regulated platform Monavate with technical operations by Gnosis Pay. Card supports Apple Pay and Google Pay integration with no monthly or annual fees.
- Gnosis PaycoreTechnical operator of MiniPay Visa debit card infrastructure, enabling the stablecoin-to-fiat payment processing for Opera's MiniPay wallet across Visa's merchant network.
- MonavatecoreRegulated payment platform issuing MiniPay Visa debit card, providing the regulatory licensing and compliance framework for the card program.
- adMarketplaceflagshipAI Discover Beta program expansion bringing adMarketplace's AI chat ad monetization platform to Opera AI. Beta runs June through December 2026 across US, UK, Germany, and France. Alpha phase generated 700,000+ AI queries with 2 million+ sponsored placements. Operating on cost-per-click model across 300+ million consumer network.
- OpenAI (ChatGPT)coreBrowser Connector feature enables ChatGPT to access Opera browser tabs, read page content, understand open tabs context, and take actions on behalf of users. Available free in Early Bird mode for Opera One and Opera GX. Feature eliminates manual context recreation when switching between tabs and chatbots.
- Anthropic (Claude)coreMCP Connector integration enables Claude AI assistant to connect directly to Opera Neon browser and access live browsing sessions. AI tools can view, navigate, extract information, and perform actions within browser tabs in real-time. Feature based on Anthropic's open Model Context Protocol standard donated to Linux Foundation's Agentic AI Foundation.
- Celo FoundationcoreCelo proposed granting Opera 160 million CELO tokens (approximately $12 million, 16% of max supply) subject to community approval and 3-year lock-up. Partnership centers on MiniPay stablecoin wallet built on Celo blockchain, which has grown to 16 million users across 65+ countries processing 400+ million transactions. Opera would become one of the largest institutional CELO holders.
- TethercorePartnership expanding USDT and Tether Gold (XAUT) support within Opera's MiniPay wallet for emerging markets. MiniPay supports 7 million verified USDT accounts with 3 million peer-to-peer USDT payments. Tether disclosed $10 billion net profit in 2025 with $186 billion USDT circulation. Partnership targets Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia users seeking dollar-denominated transactions.
- GooglecoreDeep strategic partnership with Google spanning over 25 years, providing default search engine integration and AI collaboration. Opera integrates Google Gemini AI models into Opera One, Opera GX, and Opera Neon browsers. The partnership enables Google AI features across 80+ million Opera users globally and includes Google services integration (Gmail, Calendar) in Opera's sidebar.
- SpotifyflagshipCollaboration with Spotify to create Sonic Theme for Opera One, featuring shader-based visual effects that react to music being played in Opera's built-in Music Player. Sound waves and particles move in sync with audio, creating an immersive browsing experience tied to Spotify streaming.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Opera competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Apple Safari: Safari is the default browser across Apple's ecosystem and a key competitor for mobile browser share. Opera's DMA-driven European iOS growth demonstrates the competitive dynamics Opera faces against Safari's pre-installed advantage on Apple devices.
- Google Chrome: Chrome is the dominant global browser and Opera's primary competitor. Both are Chromium-based and compete for AI integration leadership (Opera AI/Neon vs. Gemini in Chrome), with Opera positioning itself as a privacy- and feature-rich alternative.
- Samsung Internet: Samsung Internet is the default browser on Samsung Galaxy devices and a meaningful competitor in Android markets where Opera Mini has historically had strong adoption. Both compete for mobile browsing share in emerging markets.
- Microsoft Edge: Edge is the default Windows browser with deep Copilot AI integration. Opera's free VPN, ad blocker, and integrated messengers directly compete against Edge's similar value-add features, particularly in PC-focused markets.
Direct peers
- Brave Browser: Brave is a closely comparable direct peer: privacy-first Chromium-based browser with built-in ad blocker, VPN, and AI features, plus a token-based ecosystem (BAT). Competes with Opera for the same privacy-conscious user segment.
- Mozilla Firefox: Mozilla's Firefox is the most direct alternative-browser peer: an independent, non-default web browser competing head-to-head with Opera for users who actively choose alternatives to Chrome, with comparable emphasis on privacy, customization, and an ad-free value proposition.
- Vivaldi Technologies: Vivaldi is an independent, customization-focused Chromium browser targeting power users. Directly comparable to Opera in its non-default, feature-rich positioning, though with a narrower audience and no mobile browser scale equivalent to Opera Mini.
Emerging players
- DuckDuckGo: DuckDuckGo offers a privacy-focused browser with built-in tracker blocking and AI features. Comparable to Opera's privacy-led positioning, though smaller in scale and primarily mobile-focused.
- The Browser Company (Arc): Maker of the Arc browser, an emerging player focused on innovative UX, workspaces, and AI-native browsing experiences. Comparable to Opera's Opera One and Neon as a next-generation alternative browser targeting productivity-oriented users.
Regional players
- Yandex Browser: Yandex Browser is a Chromium-based alternative browser primarily serving Russian-speaking markets. Comparable to Opera in its non-default positioning and integrated service model, though operating in a distinct geographic footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Opera social profiles
Digital presenceOpera compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Opera financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Opera leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Opera subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Opera funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Opera M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments3 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Opera
What does Opera do?
Opera develops and distributes a portfolio of Chromium-based web browsers for desktop, mobile, and gaming platforms, including Opera Browser, Opera One, Opera Air, Opera GX, Opera Neon, and Opera Mini. The browsers integrate built-in privacy features (free VPN, ad blocker, tracker blocking), AI assistance, productivity tools, and sidebar integrations with messengers and streaming services. Opera also operates MiniPay, a non-custodial stablecoin wallet built on the Celo blockchain, and generates revenue primarily through search licensing, advertising, and technology licensing agreements.
Is Opera a public or private company?
Opera is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Opera founded?
Opera was founded in 1995. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Opera based?
Opera is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does Opera make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Search / Query Revenue is the primary driver. The others are advertising Revenue, technology Licensing and opera Neon Subscription.
Who are Opera's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Samsung Internet and Microsoft Edge. Direct peers are Brave Browser, Mozilla Firefox and Vivaldi Technologies. Emerging players are DuckDuckGo and The Browser Company (Arc). Yandex Browser is listed as a regional player.
Does Opera have an API?
Yes. Opera offers MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration allowing external AI clients like ChatGPT, Claude, n8n, Lovable, and OpenClaw to connect directly to and control the browser. The MCP Connector enables AI tools to view, navigate, extract information, and perform actions within user browser sessions in real-time. This is available via the open MCP standard developed by Anthropic and donated to the Linux Foundation's Agentic AI Foundation. Opera also offers Browser Connector feature for Opera One and Opera GX that connects AI tools to live browsing sessions via MCP protocol, giving AI services live access to browsing context. Developer documentation is at www.opera.com.
What industry is Opera in?
Opera's product category is Web Browser Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMADAC, Game & In-App Content Stores, with a secondary code of MPAFAHAG, Device & Client App Ecosystems for Cloud Gaming (TV/OTT apps, mobile clients, thin clients).