Why it matters: Jeff Bezos is the founder and public face of one of the world's most successful companies. While not directly related to the operation of Amazon, a divorce for its founder could impact the company's future.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie Bezos, are getting a divorce, the two announced in a joint statement on Twitter on Wednesday.

The couple said that after a long period of loving exploration and trial separation, they have decided to divorce and continue their shared lives as friends. The two said that if they had known they would separate after 25 years of marriage, they would do it all again.

"Though the labels might be different, we remain a family, and we remain cherished friends."


According to the Washington Post, the two met while working together for a hedge fund and wed shortly after in 1993. Jeff founded Amazon a year later with MacKenzie serving as one of the company's earliest employees.

Terms of the divorce are not known and it's unclear if there was a prenuptial agreement in place at the time of marriage. If not, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the two would split their massive fortune.

Jeff Bezos late last year dethroned Bill Gates as the world's richest person. At the time, he had a net worth of $160 billion.

Amazon's stock seems largely unaffected by the news thus far.