The Create Digital Music portal reported that Native Instruments GmbH was undergoing preliminary insolvency, citing German registry documents. This information was later picked up by many specialised media outlets.
Native Instruments GmbH, a German company known for producing NI Kontakt, Maschine, Traktor and other music products, is in preliminary insolvency proceedings (vorläufiges Insolvenzverfahren in German). This term is used in Germany to refer to companies that have filed for bankruptcy with the state authorities.
Based on publicly available documents, Torsten Martini has been appointed as the 'preliminary insolvency administrator' – a temporary manager – in this case. His task is to oversee the bankruptcy process and look for business restructuring scenarios.
As CDM pointed out, following the acquisitions of iZotope, Plugin Alliance and Brainworx, there have been significant changes to Native Instruments' corporate structure. Therefore, any restructuring decisions will theoretically affect these brands as well.
In Germany, "preliminary insolvency" is a special procedure usually initiated to stabilize a business during a difficult period. It does not mean that the company will close in the near future. The purpose of insolvency is to temporarily change management and attempt to prepare a business reorganization plan with external assistance. This involves searching for investors, selling assets, and taking other actions aimed at rectifying the situation.
Against the backdrop of news about these proceedings, another important document has surfaced. On December 4, 2025, the European Commission approved the acquisition of joint control over Native Instruments Group GmbH by Bridgepoint (UK) and Bain Capital Credit (US) funds. It is worth noting that regulatory approval alone does not guarantee the deal will go through. It is unclear whether this is related to the bankruptcy filings, as no publicly confirmed information about the sale has been published.
Native Instruments is a leading company in music software and hardware. Any instability surrounding it affects a huge ecosystem, including studios, production, sound design, the DJ scene, educational projects, and hundreds of partners, such as library and extension developers. The relevant media are reporting this directly and calling the event extremely significant for the market.
Meanwhile, specialized media outlets are urging people to remain calm regarding the information appearing online. There has been no mention of a closure, discontinuation of updates, or changes to access policies for purchased products. Native Instruments has not yet commented on the news. The authors of CDM requested an official comment from the company but have not yet received a response.
Reddit users were not particularly surprised by the news. Many members of specialized communities noted that the company's behavior in recent years has been subpar: product quality has declined, support has decreased significantly, and the pricing policy has changed dramatically. Redditors concluded that the current news is a logical outcome of Native Instruments' actions in recent years.
