Google Wins US Ad Tech Antitrust Case, Avoids Forced AdX Sale

Google has avoided a forced breakup of its advertising technology business after a US judge rejected the government’s demand to make the company sell its advertising exchange, AdX.

US District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia declined on Wednesday to order Alphabet-owned Google to divest AdX, despite previously finding that the company had unlawfully maintained monopolies in key parts of the online advertising technology market, as per a report by Reuters.

The judge instead accepted most of the behavioural remedies proposed in the case.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ), along with a coalition of states, had sued Google in 2023, alleging that the company used its dominance in advertising technology to restrict competition and disadvantage publishers.

Google Avoids AdX Divestment

AdX is an online advertising exchange where publishers can sell advertising space through automated auctions that take place when users load websites.

Publishers pay Google a 20% fee on transactions through the exchange.

In April 2025, Brinkema ruled that Google had illegal monopolies over technology used to host publisher advertisements and advertising exchanges.

She also found that Google had unlawfully tied publishers using its ad server to its AdX exchange, as per Reuters.

At the earlier remedies trial, the DOJ argued that Google should not be allowed to continue operating AdX because of its previous conduct.

Google, however, said forcing a sale would be technically challenging, create a lengthy transition and potentially disrupt customers.

The company also argued that the proposed divestment differed from an earlier offer to sell AdX as part of efforts to resolve a European Union antitrust investigation.

Another Setback For US Big Tech Crackdown

The ruling marks another setback for US regulators seeking structural remedies against major technology companies, per Reuters report.

It is the third consecutive instance in which a US judge has rejected a government attempt to force a major technology company to sell assets as part of the broader Big Tech antitrust crackdown.

A Washington judge last year rejected the Federal Trade Commission’s effort to make Meta sell Instagram and WhatsApp.

Separately, another judge declined the DOJ’s request to force Google to sell its Chrome browser after finding Google had an illegal search monopoly, citing growing competition from generative artificial intelligence firms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT.g

Amazon and Apple reportedly continue to face major US antitrust cases, with their trials not expected before 2027.