Founded
Snowdevil founded — Tobias Lütke, Scott Lake, and Daniel Weinand create Snowdevil, an online snowboard store built using Ruby on Rails.
Shopify
The History of Shopify: From Snowboards to a Global eCommerce Powerhouse
History
Shopify began in 2004 when Tobias Lütke, Scott Lake, and Daniel Weinand set out to sell snowboards online. When existing platforms couldn’t meet their needs, they built their own. What started as a simple solution for a single store became one of the most transformative technologies in commerce. Today, Shopify powers millions of merchants across 175+ countries and continues to evolve with innovations in AI, headless architecture, and global commerce. This timeline captures Shopify’s journey from startup to global platform leader.
Key Facts About Shopify
- Founded: 2004, Ottawa, Canada
- Founders: Tobias Lütke, Scott Lake, Daniel Weinand
- Public Listing: 2015 (NYSE → NASDAQ 2025)
- Products: Shopify Plus, Markets, Hydrogen, Audiences, Shop Pay
2004
Year Founded
2M+
Global Merchants
$700B+
GMV Processed
175+
Countries Served
Shopify platform development begins
The founders realize the software powering Snowdevil could serve other merchants and begin developing it as a standalone eCommerce platform.
June 2006 | Shopify launches publicly
Shopify officially launches as a hosted eCommerce platform for merchants.
Early merchant growth:
Shopify begins gaining traction among small businesses for its ease of use and hosted infrastructure.
First version of the Shopify Admin
Shopify introduces its first major redesign of the
merchant dashboard.
June 2, 2009 | API and App Store launch
Shopify opens its ecosystem to developers, enabling
third-party app integrations and customizations.
April 22, 2010 | Shopify Theme Store launch
Launch of the official Theme Store where developers
can sell templates to merchants.
May 2010 | iPhone app release
Shopify releases its first mobile app, allowing merchants
to manage stores on iOS.
December 2010 | Series A funding ($7M)
Shopify raises $7 million to scale operations and expand its
October 2011 | API and App Store launch
The company continues its rapid growth, improving infrastructure and expanding merchant support.
August 12, 2013 | Shopify Payments launch
Shopify introduces its own payment gateway, removing
the need for external processors.
August 28, 2013 | Shopify POS launch
Shopify unveils its point-of-sale system, connecting
online and retail commerce.
December 12, 2013 | Series C funding ($100M)
Major investment round helps Shopify scale internationally.
February 2014 | Shopify Plus launch
Enterprise version of Shopify introduced to
serve high-volume merchants.
October 2016 | Acquisition of Boltmade
Shopify acquires Boltmade to strengthen its product
and engineering capabilities.
April 2017 | Shopify Pay announced
Introduces accelerated checkout that
later evolves into Shop Pay.
June 2017 | Major admin redesign
Introduces accelerated checkout that later evolves into Shop Pay.
September 2018 | New App Store launched
Shopify refreshes its App Store with improved discovery and design.
June 19, 2019 | Shopify Fulfillment
Introduces a fulfillment solution to help merchants with logistics and delivery.
September 9, 2019 | Acquisition of 6 River Systems
Expands fulfillment and robotics capabilities.
October 17, 2019 |6 River Systems deal completed
The acquisition officially closes.
April 28, 2020 | Shop app launched
Shopify introduces the Shop app for tracking orders and reimagining the buyer experience.
June 29, 2021 | Online Store 2.0 announced
A major update to Shopify’s architecture, giving developers more flexibility in theme and app customization.
September 14, 2021 | Shopify Markets announced
Shopify introduces new tools to simplify international commerce and currency management.
May 5, 2022 | Deliver acquisition ($2.1B)
Shopify strengthens its fulfillment and logistics network through a major acquisition.
October 2022 | Remix joins Shopify
Shopify acquires Remix to improve Hydrogen and headless development tools.
May 2023 | Shopify exits logistics
Sells Deliverr and 6 River Systems to focus on the
core platform and partnerships.
June 2024 | Shopify Markets upgraded
Shopify introduces the Shop app for tracking orders and reimagining the buyer experience.
March 18, 2025 | Listing moves to Nasdaq
Shopify transfers its U.S. stock listing from
NYSE to Nasdaq Global Select Market.