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Google’s $32 Billion Acquisition of Wiz Faces U.S. Antitrust Review, Bloomberg Reports

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The U.S. Justice Department is reviewing Google’s planned $32 billion acquisition of cybersecurity firm Wiz to determine if the deal could unlawfully reduce competition in the marketplace, according to Bloomberg News citing sources familiar with the matter.

This acquisition would be Alphabet’s largest to date and aims to integrate Wiz into Google’s cloud division, bolstering its cybersecurity offerings for enterprise customers to manage critical risks.

Both Google and the DOJ declined to comment, and Wiz did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request. The deal reportedly gained momentum after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, amid expectations of a more favorable antitrust environment.

Executives at Wiz reportedly remained cautious following the collapse of Adobe’s $20 billion attempt to buy Figma due to antitrust challenges in late 2023. Google has agreed to pay Wiz over $3.2 billion if the deal fails to close.

Trump’s appointments of Andrew Ferguson as FTC chair and Gail Slater to oversee DOJ antitrust reviews reportedly increased confidence in a smoother regulatory process.

This scrutiny arrives as Google also faces ongoing DOJ lawsuits alleging monopoly abuses in online search and advertising technology markets. In April, a U.S. judge ruled Google liable for “willfully acquiring and maintaining monopoly power” in publisher ad servers and ad exchange markets.

Nippon Steel Extends Closing Date for U.S. Steel Acquisition

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Nippon Steel, Japan’s leading steelmaker, announced on Thursday that it has extended the closing date for its planned $15 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel. The new estimated completion date is now set for the first quarter of 2025, revised from the initially projected third or fourth quarter of 2024.

The extension comes as the U.S. foreign investment committee escalated the decision on whether to approve or block the deal to President Joe Biden. Biden has 15 days to make a determination. Both Biden and President-elect Donald Trump have publicly expressed opposition to the acquisition.

In its statement, Nippon Steel urged for a “fair and fact-based evaluation” of the purchase, expressing confidence that the acquisition would “protect and grow U.S. Steel.”

The company also noted that the antitrust review by the U.S. Department of Justice is ongoing, but no timeline for its conclusion has been provided.