# What Is Bloomberg?

![Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP, during the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore, on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023.](https://www.investopedia.com/thmb/mn5uoVlpqCddpLpB5VI03dTziv0=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1769444964-2be58f65ecf44b978ed56e6eb4b4d626.jpg)

*Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP. — Bloomberg / Getty Images*

> **Definition**
>
> Bloomberg uses media and digital platforms to provide global customers with real-time business and market information.

## What Is Bloomberg?

Bloomberg is a global provider of financial news and information, including real-time and historical price data, trading news, and [analyst](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/analyst.asp) coverage. Its services, which span its platform, television, radio, and print, offer professional analysis tools for financial professionals.

One of Bloomberg's key [revenue](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/revenue.asp) earners is the Bloomberg Terminal, an integrated platform that streams price data, financials, news, and trading data to more than 350,000 customers worldwide.

### Key Takeaways

*   Bloomberg is a media conglomerate that analyzes financial news, information, and data.
*   Bloomberg was founded by Michael Bloomberg in 1981.
*   The Bloomberg Terminal provides snapshots and detailed information about financial markets.

## History of Bloomberg

Founded by [Michael Bloomberg](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/michael-bloomberg.asp) in 1981, Bloomberg is a financial analytics and information platform. The company started with its flagship [Bloomberg Terminal](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/bloomberg_terminal.asp) and grew to over 10,000 installed units within its first ten years. It then implemented Bloomberg News, an international financial news provider.

By 1991, the financial company had over 325,000 subscribers to its professional services, almost 1 million global circulations of Bloomberg Businessweek, and over 120+ news bureaus internationally. The Bloomberg Business site launched in 2015 and recorded over 20 million unique visitors, surpassing the Wall Street Journal.

As of 2024, Bloomberg Media has many digital resources, including podcasts and streaming. Digital subscriptions topped 500,000 in 2023.  

> **Fast Fact**
>
> Michael Bloomberg served three terms as the Mayor of New York City.

## The Bloomberg Terminal

The Bloomberg Terminal, also known as the Bloomberg Professional Service, is a software system and computer interface for financial professionals to track and analyze breaking news across the globe. The Bloomberg Terminal is geared toward large, [institutional investors](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/institutionalinvestor.asp).

Bloomberg adopted [open-source](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/open-source.asp) technologies like the Hadoop big-data framework and the Solar search platform. In May 2015, Bloomberg opened a technology hub in San Francisco, moving most of its engineers from its New York headquarters employing over 4,000 computer engineers to support data [encryption](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/encryption.asp), messaging, and trading. As of 2024, Bloomberg hosts 159 global locations and employs over 21,000.

## What Information Does Bloomberg Offer?

Bloomberg provides online information on markets, technology, politics, and opinion. Bloomberg Live is the largest newsroom in the world using Bloomberg Intelligence and Bloomberg Global Data to enable moderators and speakers to produce compelling news conversations.

  

## What Customer Tools Does Bloomberg Offer?

Bloomberg provides technological tools for its clients. From the Bloomberg Terminal to flexible enterprise solutions, Bloomberg helps financial market players integrate their systems, and automate workflows that inform their decision-making.

## How Does Bloomberg Gather Information?

With 2,700 journalists and analysts in 100+ locations, Bloomberg publishes over 5,000 new stories a day across multiple platforms.

## The Bottom Line

Bloomberg provides financial news, information, research, and data through its Bloomberg Terminal, media, and digital subscription services. The company was founded by Michael Bloomberg in 1981.

> **Article Sources**
>
> 1.  Bloomberg. "[The Terminal: Bloomberg Professional Services](https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/solution/bloomberg-terminal/)."
>     
> 2.  Union College. "[Bloomberg: History](https://libguides.union.edu/bloombergterminal/history)."
>     
> 3.  Fast Company. "[How the Bloomberg Terminal Made History and Stays Ever Relevant](https://www.fastcompany.com/3051883/the-bloomberg-terminal)."
>     
> 4.  Bloomberg. "[Bloomberg Business Hits Traffic Record; Surpasses WSJ.com for First Time](https://www.bloomberg.com/company/press/bloomberg-business-hits-traffic-record-surpasses-wsj-com-first-time/)."
>     
> 5.  Axios. "[Bloomberg Media Tops 500k Subscriptions](https://www.axios.com/2023/11/07/exclusive-bloomberg-media-half-million-subscription)."
>     
> 6.  Bloomberg. "[Michael Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.org/team/michael-bloomberg/)."
>     
> 7.  Stockstotrade. "[Bloomberg Terminal: A Guide to Cost of a Bloomberg Terminal](https://stockstotrade.com/cost-of-bloomberg-terminal/)."
>     
> 8.  Bloomberg. "[Our West Coast Tech Hub: Open for Business](https://www.bloomberg.com/company/press/west-coast-tech-hub-open-business/)."
>     
> 9.  Bloomberg. "[Global Roles](https://www.bloomberg.com/company/careers/global-roles/)."
>     
> 10.  Bloomberg. "[About](https://www.bloomberg.com/company/values/tech-at-bloomberg/?tactic-page=588616)."
>      
> 11.  Bloomberg. "[Think Bigger](https://www.bloomberg.com/thinkbigger/?tactic-page=588616)."
>      
> 12.  Bloomberg. "[News & Media](https://www.bloomberg.com/company/what-we-do/news-media/)."