Trade Me and Stuff Digital Form Joint Venture, Targeting Growth in New Zealand’s Property Advertising Market

Trade Me has acquired a 50% stake in Stuff Digital, forming a strategic partnership designed to reshape the country’s property advertising market and present a direct challenge to NZME’s OneRoof.

The joint venture brings together two of New Zealand’s most prominent digital platforms: Trade Me, the country’s largest online marketplace, and Stuff, the most-visited local news website.

Together, they plan to combine scale, data, and audience reach to offer a competitive alternative to established players.

As part of the agreement, Stuff’s property section will be rebranded as Trade Me Property, with shared listings and advertising across both platforms.

The collaboration will allow agents, developers, and advertisers to access a broader and more integrated digital audience than ever before.

“By joining forces, we’re creating a smarter, more connected experience for the real estate sector,” said Trade Me CEO Anders Skoe.

“This gives buyers more access, vendors more visibility, and agents a meaningful alternative.”

The structure of the joint venture ensures Stuff’s editorial independence remains intact. Stuff CEO Sinead Boucher will chair the board of the newly formed Stuff Digital Ltd and will retain a casting vote, safeguarding the platform’s journalistic integrity.

“It was essential we found a partner aligned with our values,” Boucher said.

“This move supports our digital growth without compromising the independence and trust that millions of New Zealanders place in us.”

The deal does not include Stuff’s publishing arm, the Neighbourly platform, or Stuff Events, with the focus squarely on the digital integration of property and advertising functions.

With Trade Me’s property section attracting more than one million users each month, and Stuff.co.nz reaching over two million unique visitors, the combined reach is expected to rival — and potentially surpass — NZME’s OneRoof in terms of audience size and commercial capability.

The partnership is being closely watched across the property and media sectors, with implications for agents, consumers, and advertisers alike