Finance
UK regulator finds competition concerns in Getty-Shutterstock merger
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 19, 2026
1 min readLast updated: February 19, 2026
Tags:technology
Quick Summary
The UK’s CMA says the proposed Getty Shutterstock merger raises competition concerns in the supply of editorial content and has moved the case to a Phase 2 probe. A final decision is due by April 19, 2026.
Feb 19 (Reuters) - Britain's competition watchdog said on Thursday it provisionally found concerns over UK editorial content supply in the proposed merger between U.S.-based Getty Images and rival Shutterstock, but cleared the deal in the global stock content market.
Both companies said they disagreed with the Competition and Markets Authority's provisional finding on editorial content and plan to file responses by the March 12 deadline, while continuing to work with the U.S. Department of Justice on its ongoing review of the deal.
The provisional decision marks a setback for a merger of two of the world's largest visual content providers, as regulators on both sides of the Atlantic scrutinize potential impacts on competition in markets serving media outlets and creative businesses.
The CMA in November said it will launch a Phase 2 review of the $3.7 billion merger, as the remedies offered by the companies failed to address the regulator's concerns.
Getty shares were up 1.9%, while Shutterstock was marginally up at 0.9% in U.S. premarket trading.
(Reporting by Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore)
Key Takeaways
- •Britain’s CMA found competition concerns in the supply of editorial content as part of its in‑depth review of the proposed Getty–Shutterstock merger. ([investing.com](https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/uk-regulator-refers-gettyshutterstock-merger-for-an-indepth-investigation-4327301?utm_source=openai))
- •CMA materials indicate the combined group could hold roughly 70–80% of UK editorial imagery, raising risks of higher prices and lower quality. ([mlex.com](https://www.mlex.com/mlex/articles/2423227/getty-images-shutterstock-would-have-as-much-as-80-uk-share-cma-says?utm_source=openai))
- •Remedies offered during Phase 1 were deemed insufficient, prompting referral to a Phase 2 investigation. ([investing.com](https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/uk-regulator-refers-gettyshutterstock-merger-for-an-indepth-investigation-4327301?utm_source=openai))
- •The statutory deadline for the CMA’s Phase 2 decision is April 19, 2026. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/getty-images-slash-shutterstock-merger-inquiry?utm_source=openai))
- •Possible outcomes include unconditional clearance, approval with remedies, or blocking the deal. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/931d65495ee29345976edfed575eed45?utm_source=openai))
Frequently Asked Questions about UK regulator finds competition concerns in Getty-Shutterstock merger
1What is the main topic?
The UK Competition and Markets Authority found competition concerns—especially in the supply of editorial content—in its in‑depth probe of the proposed Getty Images–Shutterstock merger. ([investing.com](https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/uk-regulator-refers-gettyshutterstock-merger-for-an-indepth-investigation-4327301?utm_source=openai))
2What happens next in the CMA process?
The merger is in Phase 2. The CMA’s statutory deadline for a decision is April 19, 2026, after which it can clear, conditionally approve with remedies, or block the deal. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/getty-images-slash-shutterstock-merger-inquiry?utm_source=openai))
3Why is the regulator concerned?
The CMA indicated Getty and Shutterstock could command about 70–80% of UK editorial imagery post‑merger, risking higher prices and lower quality for customers. ([mlex.com](https://www.mlex.com/mlex/articles/2423227/getty-images-shutterstock-would-have-as-much-as-80-uk-share-cma-says?utm_source=openai))
