No, Mark Zuckerberg Did Not Buy the Entire Ray-Ban Company

Social media posts are claiming that Mark Zuckerberg or Meta has bought Ray-Ban, the popular sunglasses brand. These claims have sparked conversations about tech companies moving into the fashion industry. However, the real partnership between Meta and Ray-Ban is quite different from what’s being claimed online.

Social Media Posts

Multiple social media posts have claimed that Mark Zuckerberg purchased the Ray-Ban company for $3.5 billion USD.

Source | Archive

Source | Archive

Fact Check

Meta Bought a Minority Stake, Not the Whole Company

Meta invested $3.5 billion in July 2025, which bought them just under 3% of EssilorLuxottica’s shares. They may increase this to 5% in the future. This small percentage is a minority stake that doesn’t give Meta any control over company decisions, leadership appointments, or Ray-Ban’s operations.

Meta and EssilorLuxottica have been co-developing smart glasses since 2019, starting with the launch of the first-generation Ray-Ban Stories. Their partnership deepened in 2023 with the release of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which incorporate AI voice commands, photo and video capture, and real-time messaging.

The new investment enhances this collaboration and gives Meta more strategic influence, but not ownership. Meta has described this relationship as co-development and co-branding, not as a corporate consolidation. (Sources: Bloomberg, PYMNTS, The Verge)

Ray-Ban Is Owned by EssilorLuxottica, Not Meta

First of all, Ray-Ban is not an independent company that can be directly “bought.” It is a brand owned by EssilorLuxottica, a multinational corporation formed from the 2018 merger of French lens maker Essilor and Italian eyewear giant Luxottica. EssilorLuxottica owns a massive portfolio of brands, including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Vogue Eyewear, and Persol, and holds licensing deals with fashion houses like Prada, Versace, and Burberry.

This publicly traded company is valued at over 100 billion USD, and Meta’s minority stake does not grant it control over any of EssilorLuxottica’s core brands, including Ray-Ban. Mark Zuckerberg and Meta have no controlling interest in it. EssilorLuxottica remains listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange, operating under its own board of directors and executive team.

As of now, Meta has no board seat, no veto power, and no ability to shift strategic direction for Ray-Ban or other brands. Claims about “Meta owning Ray-Ban” are not only inaccurate but structurally impossible without a hostile takeover or major regulatory proceedings, which have not occurred. (Sources: Fashion Network)

What Meta Gains

While Meta doesn’t own Ray-Ban, it still gains major benefits from this partnership. The collaboration allows Meta to produce smart glasses at a larger scale, develop new AI features together with EssilorLuxottica, and benefit from Ray-Ban’s well-known brand. This strategic investment positions Meta to advance its AR technology while leveraging an established fashion brand’s market presence and manufacturing expertise.

Sales numbers show the partnership’s success, Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have sold over 700,000 units since 2023, and are expected to reach 2 million in 2025. Meta’s long-term vision is to transform smart glasses into a mainstream technology that everyone uses. (Source: WinBuzzer, 9to5Google)

Conclusion

Mark Zuckerberg did not buy Ray-Ban. Meta invested $3.5 billion, which represents less than 3% ownership in EssilorLuxottica, Ray-Ban’s parent company. This is not an acquisition but a strategic partnership. As a minority investor, Meta has no control over Ray-Ban’s operations or decisions. EssilorLuxottica continues to fully own and manage Ray-Ban while collaborating with Meta on smart glasses technology. 

In short, the claim that Meta has bought Ray-Ban is misleading. This is a partnership, not a purchase.