Getty scraps $3.7B Shutterstock deal after UK antitrust requires key sale

The Associated Press

Tue, July 7, 2026 astatine 9:28 AM CDT 1 min read

Getty Images notified Shutterstock connected Tuesday that it's scrapping plans to harvester the companies successful a $3.7 cardinal woody due to the fact that it didn't privation to comply with a cardinal information laid retired by Britain's antitrust regulator.

In a filing, Getty said that it "delivered a written announcement to Shutterstock terminating the Merger Agreement," which was announced past twelvemonth arsenic portion of a program to make a ocular contented giant.

Britain's Competition and Markets Authority had approved the woody pursuing an probe but lone connected information that Shutterstock's editorial concern beryllium sold to an approved buyer. The regulator was acrophobic that the combined institution would effect successful a important lessening of contention resulting successful reduced prime and higher prices for U.K. media outlets.

Getty's committee had voted unanimously past week against proceeding with the woody if it required selling Shutterstock's editorial business.

Both companies licence contented including photos, illustrations, euphony and videos to large British media companies, advertisers, publishers and designers, arsenic good arsenic tiny and mean businesses successful the originative industry, according to the CMA.

In greeting trading, Getty Images shares shed 6.8%. Shutterstock shares fell 2.4%.