It looks like Google"s planned acquisition of Wiz is going through, or at least one massive roadblock has been cleared, as the US Department of Justice has given the deal its blessing.
Wiz is an Israeli-American cybersecurity company that has grown at a blistering pace since its founding in 2020. The company"s platform provides organizations with a way to find and fix major risks inside their cloud environments.
Its technology analyzes cloud infrastructure across major platforms like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, mapping out a company"s entire cloud architecture to pinpoint vulnerabilities that attackers could exploit.
Earlier this year, Google announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire Wiz for around $32 billion, an all-cash deal that, if closed, will be the largest in the tech giant"s history.
At the time, Google said that the plan was to merge Wiz"s platform with its Google Security Operations. The combination is expected to create a comprehensive security solution for cloud-native applications, covering everything from code development to live infrastructure.
This brings a wide range of security capabilities, including advanced threat intelligence and protection against risks associated with AI. The new unit will also lean on the expertise of Google"s own Mandiant team for incident response. Google also promised to ensure Wiz"s security services will remain available for customers on competing cloud platforms.
Before reaching the current deal, Wiz previously turned down a $23 billion offer from Alphabet (Google"s parent company), opting instead to pursue an initial public offering (IPO).
When asked about the DOJ review at a Wall Street Journal event, Wiz CEO Assaf Rappaport noted that it was an "important milestone." He was quick to add that "we"re still in the journey between signing and closing."
Google told Reuters that it expects the acquisition of Wiz to close in 2026. The completion is still contingent on reviews in other jurisdictions and what the company calls "customary closing conditions."