The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened a formal merger inquiry into eBay’s planned takeover of fashion resale platform Depop, with a Phase I decision due by 6 August 2026.
The regulator issued a notice under Section 96(2A) of the Enterprise Act 2002
The deal was announced in February when eBay agreed to acquire Depop from Etsy in a $1.2bn all-cash transaction. The CMA opened a case on 23 April 2026 and conducted a public comment period between 23 April and 8 May 2026 before formally launching the inquiry. Subject to regulatory clearances, the acquisition was expected to complete in the second quarter of 2026.
If the deal goes through, Depop will retain its name, brand identity, platform and culture following the change of ownership. Depop operates as a mobile-first consumer-to-consumer (C2C) fashion marketplace. It generated approximately $1bn in annual gross merchandise sales (GMS) in 2025, with a year-on-year growth of nearly 60% in the US.