US court rules Google will not have to sell ad exchange after losing antitrust case
The US court ruled that Google did not need to sell its AdX business. The U.S. Department of Justice sought this relief after years of antitrust litigation, but Google lost the case in 2025. However, the remedies for Google will be very limited. This case involves allegations by the Department of Justice and state partners that Google used its dominant position in the online display advertising market to manipulate the bidding system for its own benefit. While the court found that Google illegally locked out publishers from using its exchange system, it did not find that it violated laws regarding the use of advertising tools. Despite the inconsistent outcomes, the Department of Justice still insisted on forcing Google to sell its advertising exchange system to level the competition. But this will not happen. Although the advertising exchange business accounts for a small portion of Google’s revenue, forced sale could have a ripple effect on its overall advertising business and send a strong signal to the tech giant that counteracts the recent wave of antitrust lawsuits it has successfully handled.