In a flurry of negotiations following President Donald Trump’s inauguration, Google has significantly accelerated its acquisition of Israeli cybersecurity firm Wiz, elevating its offer from an initial $23 billion to a whopping $32 billion—one of the largest tech deals in history.
Sources familiar with the matter say that a more favorable antitrust outlook under the new administration was the decisive factor in reviving and sweetening the deal.
Executives revealed that discussions, which had stalled less than a year ago, gained renewed momentum just eight weeks after Trump took office. Key appointments in the White House—particularly within antitrust circles—instilled confidence in both Google and Wiz that regulatory scrutiny would be less severe than anticipated. “The prospect of a friendlier review process made it hard for Wiz executives to turn down the revised offer,” one source said.
The deal, now valued 39% higher than the original bid, includes a reverse breakup fee exceeding $3.2 billion—more than 10% of the total transaction value. This fee, intended to compensate Wiz if the deal collapses due to regulatory reasons, dwarfs typical breakup fees that usually range between 4% and 7% of the deal’s value, according to industry studies.
Wiz’s new Chief Financial Officer, Fazal Merchant—who joined the company in January—and CEO Assaf Rappaport have been instrumental in finalizing the agreement, while Google’s cloud chief Thomas Kurian played a pivotal role in shaping the deal’s framework. Sources indicated that prior to Trump's inauguration, negotiations were sporadic, but regular meetings commenced soon after key antitrust officials were appointed, including Andrew Ferguson at the FTC and Gail Slater at the Justice Department.
The revised offer not only makes the deal economically attractive, with Wiz reportedly generating over $700 million in annualized revenue and experiencing 70% annual revenue growth, but also addresses concerns raised by Wiz’s venture-capital backers. Many had been wary following the collapse of Adobe's $20 billion attempt to acquire Figma due to antitrust challenges, and were particularly anxious about potential regulatory hurdles under the previous administration led by FTC Chair Lina Khan.
While it remains unclear if Google and Wiz engaged in preemptive discussions with U.S. antitrust authorities—a tactic employed by some companies to smooth the regulatory path—the Trump administration’s actions have, at least according to sources, provided a more predictable environment for the deal’s completion.
Bank of America advised Google on the transaction, with Goldman Sachs advising Wiz. Neither Google, Wiz, nor officials from the White House and Justice Department have immediately responded to requests for comment.
As the deal now nears its final stages, industry watchers are noting how shifts in U.S. regulatory policy can dramatically alter the dynamics of major tech acquisitions, setting a precedent for future transactions in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at Wednesday’s meeting.
In a broad effort to streamline operations and reduce costs, a growing number of U.S. companies across various industries have announced significant layoffs.
In a significant policy shift, several U.S. national security agencies have suspended work on a coordinated initiative designed to counter Russian sabotage, disinformation, and cyberattacks.
Putin and Trump have a strong rapport and plan to restore U.S.-Russia ties step by step, the Kremlin says. After their call, Putin agreed to halt attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid but rejected a full ceasefire. Moscow hopes for more direct talks as both leaders push for normalization.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced at a news conference in Helsinki with Finnish President Alexander Stubb that he will speak with U.S. President Donald Trump later today to discuss the details of Trump’s recent ceasefire talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
The U.S. State Department said Wednesday that a proposal remains on the table to extend the ceasefire in Gaza, but the opportunity for an agreement is "closing fast."
Istanbul prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Deputy Secretary-General Mahir Polat, Sisli Mayor Resul Emrah Sahan, and four others on charges of aiding the PKK/KCK militant group
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has removed all business blog posts dating from President Joe Biden’s term from its online publication, erasing more than 300 entries that once offered companies guidance on complying with consumer-protection regulations.
Malaysia has agreed to terms with exploration firm Ocean Infinity to restart the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 wreckage, its transport minister said on Wednesday.
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at Wednesday’s meeting.
The inside of a Herculaneum delicate & ancient scroll, unseen for nearly 2,000 years, has been revealed using Artificial Intelligence.
Regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan process, we cannot forget the years of occupation, and we will not forget them, President Ilham Aliyev said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the 12th Global Baku Forum.
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday to a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump that Russia and Ukraine cease attacking each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days, the Kremlin said following a lengthy phone discussion between the leaders.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams completed an unexpectedly long 286-day mission on the ISS, returning to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule after delays caused by technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has removed all business blog posts dating from President Joe Biden’s term from its online publication, erasing more than 300 entries that once offered companies guidance on complying with consumer-protection regulations.
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at Wednesday’s meeting.
In a significant move amid the global race for artificial intelligence dominance, Nvidia and Elon Musk’s xAI have joined a consortium backed by Microsoft and BlackRock to expand AI infrastructure across the United States.
Drugmaker Pfizer has sold its entire stake in consumer healthcare firm Haleon for approximately 2.5 billion pounds (roughly $3.24 billion), according to sources involved in the transaction.
Morgan Stanley is set to lay off approximately 2,000 employees later this month, representing roughly 2% to 3% of its global workforce—excluding financial advisers—in an effort to improve operational efficiency, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The U.S. State Department said Wednesday that a proposal remains on the table to extend the ceasefire in Gaza, but the opportunity for an agreement is "closing fast."
Istanbul prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Deputy Secretary-General Mahir Polat, Sisli Mayor Resul Emrah Sahan, and four others on charges of aiding the PKK/KCK militant group
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has removed all business blog posts dating from President Joe Biden’s term from its online publication, erasing more than 300 entries that once offered companies guidance on complying with consumer-protection regulations.
Malaysia has agreed to terms with exploration firm Ocean Infinity to restart the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 wreckage, its transport minister said on Wednesday.
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at Wednesday’s meeting.
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