Google's parent company, Alphabet, is in advanced talks to acquire Israeli cybersecurity firm Wiz for more than $30 billion, marking its largest potential purchase to date.

What's behind the deal?

Alphabet's renewed bid comes after a previous offer of $23 billion was withdrawn last July. Back then, Wiz had concerns about overcoming antitrust challenges and had hinted at going public instead.

This fresh proposal, however, suggests that Alphabet is determined to tap into the booming cybersecurity market while also strengthening its expanding cloud services division—a business that generated over $43 billion in revenue last year, as per a Reuters report.

What is Wiz and what do they do?

Wiz specialises in cloud-based cybersecurity solutions powered by artificial intelligence. Their technology helps companies detect and eliminate critical risks in their cloud platforms, ensuring that digital operations remain secure. The firm partners with several major cloud providers, including Microsoft and Amazon, and boasts an impressive customer list featuring well-known names like Morgan Stanley and DocuSign.

With a global team of 900 employees spread across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Israel, Wiz is also planning a significant expansion—aiming to add 400 new workers in 2024. This growth reflects the rising global demand for robust cybersecurity measures, especially after last year's major outage at cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which raised alarms about vulnerabilities in digital infrastructures.

Why is Alphabet interested?

For Alphabet, acquiring Wiz would not only deepen its foothold in the cybersecurity arena but also complement its cloud infrastructure offerings. In a landscape where digital threats are increasingly sophisticated, integrating advanced AI-driven security solutions could provide Alphabet with a competitive edge and reassure enterprise customers about the safety of their cloud services.

Although the deal is still under negotiation and has not been finalised, the potential acquisition highlights Alphabet's aggressive strategy to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital world. Even as regulatory and market challenges persist—especially amid shifting antitrust policies and global market uncertainties—the move underscores the value and urgency of cybersecurity in today's tech-driven economy.

Neither Alphabet nor Wiz has yet confirmed the details of the discussions, and further changes to the proposed deal are still possible as negotiations continue.