Google is reportedly close to buying the cybersecurity firm Wiz for $23 billion, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal. This deal, expected to be finalized soon, is a big step for both companies. Founded in 2020, Wiz has grown quickly under CEO Assaf Rappaport, reaching a $12 billion valuation as recently as May and considering an IPO. With its cloud security solutions providing comprehensive insights into a company’s cloud presence, Wiz has attracted investment from major firms like Cyberstarts, Index Ventures, Insight Partners, and Sequoia Capital.
If completed, this would be Google’s largest acquisition ever, showing a strong commitment to boosting its cybersecurity capabilities. This move comes amid rising cybersecurity threats from nation-states and criminals targeting governments and large organizations. Google has previously invested heavily in cybersecurity, including the $5.4 billion acquisition of Mandiant two years ago. The Wiz acquisition would further strengthen Google’s security offerings and reinforce its position in the market.
However, Google’s aggressive acquisition strategy is likely to draw more scrutiny, as the company is already facing multiple antitrust lawsuits from the Justice Department. Despite these legal challenges, Google’s pursuit of Wiz shows a renewed focus on mergers and acquisitions, even amid competitive and regulatory pressures. This follows earlier reports of Google’s interest in buying sales software maker Hubspot, which ultimately did not happen. The potential acquisition of Wiz highlights Google’s strategic focus on enhancing its cybersecurity infrastructure to tackle the growing threat landscape.
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