The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has cleared eBay’s proposed purchase of Depop, the fashion resale platform currently owned by Etsy.
The deal was first disclosed in February, when eBay agreed to acquire Depop from Etsy via an all-cash arrangement valued at approximately $1.2bn.
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The CMA subsequently opened a case on 23 April 2026, inviting public comment over a two-week window running to 8 May, ahead of launching a formal merger investigation in June under a notice issued according to Section 96(2A) of the Enterprise Act 2002.
That process gave interested parties the opportunity to weigh in on how the transaction might affect competition within the UK market.
The regulator has now brought that initial inquiry to a close.
Under the acquisition, Depop is set to continue operating under its existing name, brand identity, platform structure and culture once ownership changes hands.
The platform functions as a mobile-first marketplace connecting consumers directly for fashion resale.
Depop recorded close to $1bn in annual gross merchandise sales during 2025, with growth in the US market reaching nearly 60% year-on-year.
Figures as of 31 December 2025 show the platform had seven million active buyers – with almost 90% under the age of 34 – alongside more than three million active sellers.
eBay has indicated the acquisition fits into its broader consumer-to-consumer strategy, aimed at deepening engagement with younger shoppers while strengthening its foothold in resale fashion.
The regulatory clearance arrives amid a period of wider corporate developments at eBay.
In May, GameStop tabled an unsolicited and non-binding offer to acquire eBay in a cash-and-stock deal valued at approximately $55.5bn, pitched at $125.00 per share.
eBay’s board turned down the proposal that same month, calling it “neither credible nor attractive”.
Earlier, in March, eBay had outlined plans to reduce its global workforce by roughly 6%, or around 800 positions, as part of a wider cost-cutting and restructuring initiative.
