MariaDB’s Bold Move: Dropping SkySQL & Xpand While Securing a $26.5M Loan

1. MariaDB stops selling SkySQL and Xpand

In a recent SEC filing, MariaDB confirmed it will cease sales of its Database‑as‑a‑Service offering SkySQL and the distributed backend Xpand, which powers its global distributed database. SkySQL, launched in 2020 to compete with cloud RDBMS providers, added Xpand in 2021 and a PostgreSQL‑compatible front‑end in May 2023. The company said the products are not part of its core MariaDB Enterprise Server strategy and will help existing customers migrate away.

According to the 2023 Stack Overflow survey, MariaDB ranks seventh among professional developers’ preferred databases, used by about 18 % of respondents, even ahead of Oracle. DB‑Engines places MariaDB at #13 in market ranking, surpassing Cisco’s recent Splunk acquisition.

2. Analysts warn the move may hurt growth

IDC research VP Carl Olofson called the decision “self‑destructive,” noting that SkySQL and Xpand were the primary drivers of future growth. He emphasized that database users value vendor stability and a clear roadmap. Gartner’s data‑management analyst Adam Ronthal warned that small vendors often struggle when pulling back cloud services, especially when market demand for DBaaS is still maturing.

Gartner predicts that by 2027 more than 70 % of global DBMS revenue will come from cloud services. Ronthal argued that abandoning a cloud DBaaS contradicts this trend, and that open‑source API‑compatible competitors such as Oracle MySQL HeatWave, Amazon Aurora, and Vitess‑based PlanetScale will further erode MariaDB’s market position.

The Register interviewed MariaDB, whose spokesperson said the new $26.5 million loan demonstrates continued confidence from financial partners and that the company remains focused on its core Enterprise Server and ecosystem partners.

3. 28 % workforce cut to reduce costs

Alongside the product shutdown, MariaDB will lay off 84 employees, roughly 28 % of its staff, to lower operating expenses. The restructuring follows a challenging financial year after its December 2022 IPO, which raised $104 million, and subsequent breaches of NYSE listing rules when the share price fell below $1.

MariaDB has been seeking additional financing since April, including a $26.5 million senior secured note from RP Ventures at a 10 % interest rate, intended to repay a European Investment Bank loan due 11 October 2023. The new loan restricts the company from merging or undertaking capital restructuring until 10 January 2024.

Analysts and industry observers, such as Vettabase founder Federico Razzoli, argue that the heavy investment in SkySQL and Xpand was mis‑aligned and that open‑sourcing the underlying ClustrixDB technology could have driven broader adoption.

Customers still using SkySQL can migrate to MariaDB Cloud (a managed service) or switch to compatible cloud offerings like Amazon RDS. The MariaDB Foundation continues to support the open‑source version, with founder Michael “Monty” Widenius serving as a board member.