EC approves $32bn Google-Wiz deal after market investigation
- Finance
ThePostMaster- 0
- 7 minutes read
The European Commission (EC) has granted unconditional approval for Google’s proposed acquisition of cloud security company Wiz, stating that the deal does not present competition concerns within the European Economic Area (EEA).
Google’s $32bn all-cash agreement to acquire Wiz was first announced in March 2025. The Commission reached its decision following a detailed market investigation, which included collecting feedback from customers and competing providers in the cloud security and infrastructure sectors.
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In November 2025, the US Department of Justice completed its own antitrust review of the transaction, removing a major regulatory obstacle for Google’s parent company, Alphabet, as it aims to expand its position in the cloud security market.
Google operates its cloud services through Google Cloud Platform and supplies cloud security solutions both to its own cloud customers and, to a limited extent, users of other infrastructure providers.
Wiz focuses on cloud-native application protection, offering a consolidated platform that allows organisations to safeguard their applications against cyber threats across various cloud environments.
The acquisition centres on the rapidly developing cloud security industry, where both Google and Wiz are key players. This sector is closely connected to the wider cloud infrastructure market, which also includes prominent competitors such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure.
Multi-cloud security solutions enable clients to distribute workloads across several cloud platforms, including those operated by Google’s rivals.
The acquisition aims to enable Google to strengthen its position in cloud security and facilitate the use of multiple cloud platforms as AI continues to develop rapidly.
During its investigation, the EC considered whether Google might attempt to bundle Wiz’s multi-cloud security platform with existing products or restrict its compatibility with other clouds. It determined that there are sufficient alternative suppliers available, meaning customers could switch services if necessary.
The inquiry also addressed whether Google would obtain commercially sensitive data about rival cloud providers through Wiz’s integrations. The Commission established that any information Google would access is not considered commercially sensitive and is generally accessible by other security software firms.
EC Clean, Just and Competitive Transition Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera said: “Following a thorough investigation, the Commission has cleared Google’s acquisition of Wiz. Google stands behind Amazon and Microsoft in terms of market shares in cloud infrastructure, and our assessment confirmed that customers will continue to have credible alternatives and the ability to switch providers.
“The transaction therefore does not raise competition concerns in cloud services or cloud security in the European Economic Area.”
The deal had initially been referred to the Commission under Article 4(5) of the EU Merger Regulation after review requests by three Member States, namely Cyprus, Ireland and Sweden, none of which objected to the referral.
Under EU merger control rules, acquisitions involving companies with turnovers above defined thresholds must be assessed by the Commission to ensure they do not impede competition within the EEA. While this deal fell below those thresholds on turnover alone, its significance prompted further scrutiny under referral provisions.
