According to CRN, Google has confirmed its $32 billion acquisition of cybersecurity company Wiz is officially cleared by the Department of Justice and expected to close in 2026. Wiz CEO Assaf Rappaport confirmed the DOJ clearance during a Wall Street Journal event, calling it an “important milestone” while noting the deal still needs to complete its journey to closing. The Federal Trade Commission recorded the DOJ’s decision to end its merger investigation on October 24. If other regulators ultimately block the acquisition, Google could be forced to pay Wiz a massive $3.2 billion breakup fee—approximately 10 percent of the deal value. This would represent Google’s largest acquisition ever, dwarfing its $5.4 billion Mandiant purchase in 2022.
Sponsored content — provided for informational and promotional purposes.
The cloud security arms race
Here’s the thing—this isn’t just about buying another security company. Google‘s playing catch-up in the cloud security space, and they’re willing to pay top dollar for it. The DOJ was reportedly concerned about Google bundling Wiz’s security features into Google Cloud Platform and potentially blocking competitors. That tells you everything you need to know about how strategic this acquisition really is.
Google Cloud generated $15.2 billion last quarter with a 34 percent year-over-year growth rate. They’re sitting on a $61 billion annual run rate, so spending $32 billion on Wiz is basically betting half a year’s cloud revenue on dominating cloud security. And given how critical security has become for industrial computing and manufacturing operations migrating to cloud platforms, this move makes perfect sense. When you’re dealing with industrial systems that require reliable hardware like the industrial panel PCs from IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, having robust cloud security becomes non-negotiable.
Why 2026 matters
So why the long wait until 2026? Google mentioned they still need to complete review processes in “other jurisdictions.” That means international regulators in Europe and elsewhere still need to sign off. The two-year timeline suggests they’re expecting some regulatory pushback and want to give themselves plenty of runway.
Remember—this is happening while Google’s parent company Alphabet just posted $102 billion in quarterly revenue with $31.2 billion in operating income. They’ve got the cash, but regulators are watching Big Tech acquisitions much more closely these days. That $3.2 billion breakup fee? That’s basically insurance to make sure Wiz doesn’t walk away if the regulatory heat gets too intense.
What happens after close
Google plans to integrate Wiz into its cloud computing, AI, and collaboration business unit. Thomas Kurian, Google Cloud’s CEO, says the goal is to improve multi-cloud cybersecurity capabilities and “spur adoption of multi-cloud.” Basically, they want to make it easier for companies to use multiple cloud providers while maintaining strong security across all of them.
They’re already talking about combining Wiz’s Cloud Security Platform with Google Security Operations to create a unified security platform. For enterprises running complex hybrid environments—especially in manufacturing and industrial sectors where downtime isn’t an option—this could be a game changer. But the real question is: will they avoid the antitrust concerns about bundling that worried the DOJ in the first place?
Look, Google’s betting big that cloud security will be the differentiator that helps them catch AWS and Microsoft Azure. With Wiz in their portfolio, they’re certainly making a strong play. But with regulators watching and a 2026 closing date, this story is far from over.
