The Federal Trade Commission is preparing to launch an investigation into anti-competitive practices at Microsoft’s cloud computing business, as the US regulator continues to pursue Big Tech in the final weeks of Joe Biden’s presidency.

This move follows the FTC’s legal challenge against Microsoft’s $75 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which faced antitrust concerns around Microsoft’s cloud gaming business. While a federal court allowed the acquisition to proceed, the FTC’s appeal highlights its commitment to maintaining oversight of Big Tech’s market reach.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is preparing to investigate Microsoft’s cloud computing business, according to multiple reports Thursday.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is preparing to launch an investigation into anti-competitive practices at Microsoft's cloud computing business, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.

The investigation forms part of the Biden administration's broader campaign to reign in the anti-competitive practices of large technology firms. Microsoft has remained silent, but the result could have a major strategic impact on its structure and the firm's place in the cloud economy.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is preparing to launch an investigation into anti-competitive practices at Microsoft's cloud computing business, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing people with direct knowledge of the matter.

The agency’s antitrust investigation continues Biden administration scrutiny of Big Tech as the industry waits to discover what policies Donald Trump adopts.