Google avoids breakup as judge rejects ad tech sale order

Investing.com -- A federal judge rejected the Justice Department's request to force Alphabet Inc.'s Google to sell its advertising exchange on Wednesday, sparing the tech company from a second breakup attempt.

Judge Leonie Brinkema issued her decision under seal with a brief order that denied the Justice Department's demand to force a sale of Google's AdX. The judge instead ordered behavioral changes to Google's business operations, though the specific requirements were not disclosed. A redacted version of the decision will be released at a later date.

The ruling allows Google to keep its advertising exchange following an April 2025 decision that found the company illegally monopolized two advertising technology markets. The Justice Department had sought to force Google to sell its exchange and make public the auction logic that determines which advertisements appear on websites.

The ad exchange represents a small portion of Google's overall business. Publishers pay Google a 20% fee to sell ads in auctions that occur instantly when users load websites.

Google shares traded roughly 1% higher on Wednesday.

The ruling marks the second time Google has successfully defended against Justice Department efforts to force asset sales to address illegal monopolies.

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