Yahoo has emerged as the latest contender interested in acquiring Google’s Chrome browser, joining earlier expressions of interest from OpenAI, Perplexity, and DuckDuckGo. While this prospect may sound surprising, it is rooted in a complex legal context.

Google is currently undergoing a three-week remedies trial after its defeat in a monopoly lawsuit concerning its search business. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has outlined its demands, and Google is focused on mitigating the repercussions.

The ongoing trial could potentially lead to Google having to sell Chrome as part of efforts to dismantle its perceived monopoly. Companies like Yahoo have indicated their willingness to acquire the browser if such a sale becomes necessary.

Recently, a senior Yahoo executive confirmed the company’s intent to bid for Chrome, suggesting it could be valued in the tens of billions of dollars. This evaluation aligns with insights from DuckDuckGo’s CEO, who noted that Chrome might fetch upwards of $50 billion in a forced sale scenario.

Importantly, Yahoo’s General Manager of Search, Brian Provost, acknowledged that the company has been developing a prototype web browser since last summer. He highlighted that a significant portion of search queries—approximately 60%—are initiated through web browsers, frequently from the search bar.

Provost confidently described Chrome as “arguably the most important strategic player on the web” and suggested that acquiring it could increase Yahoo’s market share significantly from its current 3%. Should Google be compelled to sell Chrome, it would also have to relinquish the open-source Chromium platform, which supports various browsers, including Opera, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

Despite these developments, Google remains firmly opposed to the sale, recognizing the substantial value it would lose by divesting a product it created from the ground up. The DOJ, however, views such a sale as a crucial step toward reducing Google’s dominance in the market.