Trending Now - UK Regulator Investigates Microsoft's Market Dominance in Software

WHO:

Engadget - The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Microsoft.

Techmeme - The investigation involves Microsoft's business software unit.

WHAT:

Engadget - The CMA is assessing whether Microsoft should be designated with "strategic market status" (SMS).

Engadget - The CMA has "a major concern" regarding Microsoft's alleged limiting of competition in the cloud space through its productivity software, including Word, Excel, Teams, and AI companion Copilot.

Engadget - The investigation will begin in May 2026.

Engadget - The CMA is following up on a previous inquiry into Microsoft and Amazon from 2025, which involved a plan regarding egress fees and interoperability in cloud services.

WHERE:

Engadget - The investigation is being conducted in the United Kingdom.

WHEN:

Engadget - The investigation will start in May 2026.

Engadget - The previous inquiry into Microsoft and Amazon occurred in 2025.

Engadget - Microsoft sparked an investigation in 2023 for its relationship with OpenAI and in 2024 for hiring staff from Inflection AI.

WHY:

Engadget - The CMA's investigation is motivated by concerns over Microsoft's potential monopoly power and its impact on competition in the cloud services market.

HOW:

Engadget - The SMS designation would allow the CMA to take action against Microsoft.

(UPDATED March 31, 2026 19:24 UTC)

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority is launching an investigation into Microsoft, focusing on its business software unit and whether the company should be designated with "strategic market status." The CMA has expressed major concerns about Microsoft's potential to limit competition in the cloud space through its productivity software, including popular applications like Word and Excel, and this investigation will begin in May 20th26. This inquiry follows a previous investigation into Microsoft and Amazon in 2025 and is driven by worries over Microsoft's monopoly power and its impact on competition in the cloud services market.