Google’s $30 billion Wiz offer: Too big to refuse in a Trump-era M&A boom
With a friendlier regulatory landscape, this could be the deal that finally happens.
Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, is once again in advanced negotiations to acquire Israeli-founded cybersecurity startup Wiz—this time at a valuation of around $30 billion. If completed, the deal would mark the largest acquisition in Google’s history. Unlike the last round of negotiations that collapsed, this time the stars seem aligned for a deal, thanks to both an irresistible offer and a regulatory landscape far more favorable under the Trump administration.
Just months ago, Wiz turned down Google’s $23 billion offer, choosing instead to pursue an initial public offering (IPO). The rejection was a bold statement by Wiz’s leadership, particularly CEO Assaf Rappaport, who envisioned building an independent cybersecurity powerhouse rather than selling out to a tech giant. However, Google’s latest bid—$30 billion—may be impossible to refuse.
The revised offer reflects not only Wiz’s skyrocketing growth but also Google’s increasing urgency to close the gap with Microsoft and Amazon in the hyper-competitive cloud security market. With Wiz’s annual recurring revenue (ARR) approaching $500 million and more than 45% of Fortune 100 companies as clients, the startup has positioned itself as a crown jewel in cybersecurity. Losing out on Wiz again could be a major blow to Google Cloud, which lags behind Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS).
One of the biggest obstacles to the deal’s success in previous negotiations was regulatory scrutiny under the Biden administration, which took an aggressive stance against Big Tech mergers. Google’s $5.4 billion acquisition of Mandiant in 2022 already faced significant regulatory hurdles, and another blockbuster acquisition seemed unlikely to gain approval.
However, the regulatory landscape has shifted dramatically with Trump’s return to office. His administration has signaled a pro-business, pro-merger stance, making it far more likely that a deal of this magnitude will be approved without the lengthy and uncertain antitrust battles that defined the previous administration. With fewer regulatory roadblocks, both Google and Wiz now have a clear path to closing the deal swiftly.
For Google, acquiring Wiz is not just an opportunity—it’s a necessity. Despite its investment in cybersecurity, including the Mandiant acquisition, Google Cloud remains a distant third in the market. Wiz’s cloud-native security platform would provide Google with a much-needed competitive edge while also preventing a rival from snapping up one of the industry’s fastest-growing companies.
The central question remains: Will Rappaport and his co-founders finally agree to sell? While Wiz has long championed its independence, a $30 billion price tag—combined with the removal of regulatory barriers—may be too compelling to pass up. Investors, including leading venture funds like Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Thrive Capital, are likely to favor cashing out at such a high valuation rather than taking the long and uncertain road to an IPO.
With the Trump administration paving the way for a smoother approval process and Google making an offer Wiz may not see again, the deal looks increasingly inevitable. The coming weeks will determine whether this is the defining moment in Wiz’s meteoric rise—or the last chance for Google to secure its future in cybersecurity.
