Perplexity wants to buy Google Chrome for $34.5 billion, twice the company’s value

Avatar for Ben Schoon | Aug 12 2025 - 9:10 am PT
19 Comments

Perplexity, an AI startup, is putting together a bid to buy Google Chrome. There are just two potential problems. First, Chrome isn’t actually for sale. Second, the bid is worth twice as much as Perplexity.

As reported byThe Wall Street Journal andReuters, Perplexity is making an “all-cash offer” to buy Google Chrome for $34.5 billion.

Perplexity hasn’t been quiet on this topic, with the companypreviously saying in court that it “thinks” it could run Chromium at the same scale as Google without lessening quality or charging for the work. AsReuters notes, Perplexity’s bid apparently pledges to keep Chromium open source, make no changes to its default search engine, and “invest $3 billion over two years” to the project.

As it stands today, Google Chrome isn’t for sale. That may change as Google’s antitrust trial comes to a close, with a judge expected to decide on remedies – which may include a forced sale of Chrome – “sometime this month.”

Advertisement - scroll for more content

The other big question with this bid comes by way of financing. $34.5 billion is well below priorestimatesof what Chrome could be worth, but it’s also nearlytwice what Perplexity as a company itself is worth. So where is all that extra money coming from? It’ssaidthat “multiple funds” may be willing to finance the deal in full.

It remains to be seen how this will all play out, but Perplexity isn’t the only name here, as OpenAI and Yahoo both previously expressed interest. Notably, too, this comes barely a month after Perplexitylaunched its own “Comet” web browser.

This isn’t the first time Perplexity has made an attention-grabbing offer to buy a big tech product, as the company previously tried to position itselfto buy TikTok.

More on Chrome:

Follow Ben: Twitter/X, Threads,Bluesky, and Instagram

Add 9to5Google as a preferred source on GoogleAdd 9to5Google as a preferred source on Google

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.

You’re reading 9to5Google — experts who break news about Google and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check outour homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Google onTwitter,Facebook, andLinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out ourexclusive stories,reviews,how-tos, andsubscribe to our YouTube channel

Featured

from9to5Google9to5Google Logo

Comments

Guides

Author

Avatar for Ben SchoonBen Schoonnexusben

Ben is a Senior Editor for 9to5Google.

Find him on Twitter @NexusBen. Send tips to schoon@9to5g.com or encrypted to benschoon@protonmail.com.