Getty Images terminates Shutterstock merger after U.K. regulator imposes conditions

Getty Images has called off its plan to join with Shutterstock, ending a deal that was originally announced in January 2025. The two companies had hoped to combine into a single business worth $3.7 billion. Although American regulators gave their approval without any conditions back in April, British authorities took a different view. The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority insisted that Shutterstock sell off its international news photography division before the merger could proceed. Regulators believed that keeping this division under shared ownership would harm competition and push up costs for media companies in Britain. Getty's board unanimously rejected this requirement and chose to walk away instead. Shutterstock's share price dropped around 30% after the news broke, while Getty's shares edged slightly higher.