Shares in GoPro Inc. (Nasdaq: GPRO) jumped yesterday and are again up significantly in premarket trading today after it was revealed that the megastar YouTuber Markiplier has become the largest individual shareholder in the struggling action camera maker.
Here’s what you need to know.
What’s happened?
Over the weekend, Bloomberg reported that Mark Fischbach, better known as Markiplier, a YouTuber, acquired an 8.5% stake in GoPro. This stake makes Markiplier the single largest individual shareholder in the company.
After news of Markiplier’s stake was announced over the weekend, GoPro shares surged on Monday, ending the trading day up over 46% to 87 cents per share. Today, in premarket trading, GoPro’s stock price is even higher—up another 93% as of the time of this writing to just over $1.69 per share.
This share price jump means GoPro’s stock price is now back to levels not seen since early January.
Who is Markiplier?
Markiplier, whose real name is Mark Fischbach, is one of the most popular YouTubers on the platform. He currently has more than 38.9 million subscribers who tune in for his video game plays and commentary.
But earlier this year, Markiplier successfully transitioned from being a YouTuber to being a Hollywood auteur.
He produced and directed the indie hit horror film Iron Lung, based on a video game he liked. Major Hollywood studios rejected the film, which had a budget of around $3 million. It went on to earn $51 million at the box office—a return any studio would kill for.
Bloomberg says this film helped increase Markiplier’s interest in GoPro. He had used the action cameras to capture behind-the-scenes footage for Iron Lung.
But it was GoPro’s introduction of its first “cinema camera,” the Mission 1 Pro ILS, earlier this year that really caught Markiplier’s attention.
“It blows my mind what it can do in such a small package,” Markiplier told Bloomberg. “They have a big future with this camera coming out opening up a new segment for them.”
Markiplier soon began buying the company’s shares, telling Bloomberg, “I saw the stock and where it was, I was like that seems undervalued.’ He added: “It’s just something I’ve been cooking in the background; I want the company to succeed.”
What does this mean for GoPro?
It’s important to note that while Markiplier is now GoPro’s largest individual shareholder, he currently does not hold a position with the company.
However, news of his massive stake in the company has reinvigorated interest in GPRO shares, particularly among retail investors.
At one point in premarket trading this morning, GPRO shares were up more than 100%—and that’s after climbing 48% yesterday.
Besides an immediate bump in the stock price, news of Markiplier’s investment may have given the company a lifeline on Nasdaq.
In July, the company received a notice from Nasdaq that its stock price had been below $1 for 30 consecutive days, and GoPro was given 180 days to get the share price above the $1 minimum threshold Nasdaq requires to stay listed.
As of the time of this writing this morning, GPRO shares are now well above the $1 listing threshold.
If that can hold, GoPro will be spared delisting. However, it is yet to be seen just how long the Markiplier bump can last.
GoPro’s challenges
GoPro is facing numerous challenges. In the early 2010s, the company’s rugged action camera was a darling of the gadget world.
But since then, the company has faced increased competition from other action camera makers like Insta360 and drone makers like DJI, as well as everyday smartphone cameras, which have become more rugged thanks to nearly industry-wide water resistance on most flagship models.
These challenges were underscored by the company’s most recent financial results for Q2 2026. The company posted revenue of $105 million for the quarter, a 31% drop year over year. Camera unit sales also only hit 291,000—a 38% year-over-year drop.
And then there is the company’s stock price.
Before its major boost yesterday and today, GPRO shares had plummeted throughout 2026. Even with yesterday’s 46% gain, GPRO shares were still down over 37% for the year. Over the past 12 months, GPRO shares had fallen 43% as of yesterday’s close.
Looking back even further reveals just how much the once high-flying company has suffered. Over the past five years, GPRO shares have lost more than 91% of their value as of yesterday’s close.
