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Verisk Scraps $2.35 Billion AccuLynx Acquisition After FTC Review Delay

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Verisk has terminated its planned $2.35 billion acquisition of roofing software provider AccuLynx, citing delays in regulatory approval by U.S. antitrust authorities. The decision was disclosed in a statement released on Monday.

Verisk said the move followed notification from the Federal Trade Commission that it had not completed its review of the transaction by the agreed termination deadline of December 26. As a result, the merger was not finalized by the extended cutoff date, prompting Verisk to formally call off the deal last week.

The data analytics firm first announced the acquisition in July, positioning the purchase as a strategic expansion into software solutions for the insurance and construction ecosystem. At the time, the transaction was expected to close by the third quarter of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals.

The termination has already sparked a dispute between the two companies. Verisk said AccuLynx has informed it that it believes the termination of the merger agreement is invalid. Verisk rejected that claim, stating it “strongly disagrees” and intends to “vigorously defend against any such assertions.” Neither AccuLynx nor the FTC immediately responded to requests for comment.

Following the collapse of the deal, Verisk said it plans to redeem approximately $1.5 billion in debt that had been issued to finance the acquisition. The decision removes a major transaction from Verisk’s growth plans and underscores the growing impact of prolonged regulatory scrutiny on large technology and data-related mergers.

India Tribunal Lifts WhatsApp Data-Sharing Ban but Upholds Meta’s $25 Million Fine

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An Indian appeals tribunal has overturned a five-year ban preventing WhatsApp from sharing user data with other Meta-owned entities but upheld a $25.4 million fine, delivering a mixed verdict for the U.S. tech giant.

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) ruled on Tuesday that the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) 2024 order lacked sufficient justification for restricting data sharing, calling the regulator’s rationale “missing altogether.” However, it agreed with the CCI’s finding that Meta had abused its market dominance by imposing unfair terms on users.

WhatsApp had challenged the CCI’s ban, warning it could have been forced to roll back certain features if the restriction remained. Meta, in turn, argued that the watchdog lacked the technical expertise to assess the implications of its decision.

The dispute dates back to 2021, when changes to WhatsApp’s privacy policy sparked widespread backlash in India. Regulators accused the company of pressuring users to accept new data-sharing terms or risk losing access to the platform.

A Meta spokesperson said the company is reviewing the tribunal’s written order and reiterated that the 2021 privacy update “did not change the privacy of people’s personal messages, which remain end-to-end encrypted.”

India is Meta’s largest market globally, with hundreds of millions of users across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram — making the ruling a critical development for the company’s operations in the country.

UK Targets Apple and Google’s Smartphone Dominance with New Competition Powers

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Britain’s competition regulator has designated Apple and Google as firms with “strategic market status” (SMS), giving it new powers to demand changes to how the two tech giants operate their smartphone ecosystems.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Wednesday that the move would allow it to introduce targeted interventions to promote innovation and competition in the mobile market, where the dominance of Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android platforms gives them vast control over app stores, browsers, and digital services.

The CMA said the designations were not findings of wrongdoing but would enable oversight of both firms’ practices, such as app store restrictions and payment rules that may limit competition.

The decision aligns Britain with other major economies — including the United States, European Union, and Japan — that have been tightening regulation on the two companies’ market power.

Apple warned that copying the EU’s interventionist approach could “undermine privacy and security” for users, while Google described the decision as “disappointing and unwarranted”, urging the regulator to ensure its actions remain “pro-growth and pro-innovation.”

Nearly all smartphones in the UK run on either Apple or Google systems, with both firms controlling access to their platforms through app store policies and in-house browsers.

Tom Smith, a former CMA director, said the new powers could lead to fairer conditions for app developers — including the right to inform users of cheaper deals outside official app stores, similar to measures adopted in the U.S.

However, industry trade body CCIA cautioned that the “opaque” SMS process might deter tech investment, urging regulators to balance oversight with economic growth.

The CMA emphasized that any future interventions would be “proportionate and targeted” to ensure competition flourishes without stifling innovation in the UK’s tech sector.