Exclusive: Microsoft's $7.5 billion GitHub deal set for EU approval

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - U.S. software giant Microsoft (MSFT.O) is set to win unconditional EU antitrust approval for its $7.5 billion purchase of privately held coding website GitHub, two people familiar with the matter said on Monday.

A Microsoft store is pictured in New York City, New York, U.S., August 21, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

Microsoft announced the deal in June, its largest acquisition since it bought LinkedIn for $26 billion in 2016. The GitHub deal is expected to boost the U.S. software giant’s cloud computing business and challenge market leader Amazon (AMZN.O).

GitHub, the world’s largest code host, has more than 28 million developers using its platform.

It will become a part of Microsoft’s Intelligent Cloud unit once the acquisition is completed.

Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella has tried to assuage users’ worries that GitHub might favor Microsoft products over competitors after the deal, saying GitHub would continue to be an open platform that works with all public clouds.

The European Commission, which is set to decide on the deal by Oct. 19, did not respond to a request for immediate comment. Microsoft declined to comment.

Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Jason Neely

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