DMA gatekeepers list: 7 companies and 23 core platform services
As of October 2026, seven companies are designated as gatekeepers under the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA): Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, Microsoft and Booking. Between them they run 23 designated core platform services, from Google Search and the App Store to WhatsApp and Windows. The Commission has also told Amazon and Microsoft that it intends, on a preliminary basis, to designate their cloud services AWS and Azure.
The list below follows the Commission's gatekeepers portal. For ongoing cases, see our Digital Markets section.
All gatekeepers and their designated services
Alphabet: 8 services
- Google Search (online search engine)
- Google Play, Google Maps and Google Shopping (online intermediation services)
- YouTube (video-sharing platform)
- Android (operating system)
- Google Chrome (web browser)
- Alphabet's online advertising services
Apple: 4 services
- App Store (online intermediation service)
- iOS (operating system)
- iPadOS (operating system), added on 29 April 2024
- Safari (web browser)
Meta: 5 services
- Facebook and Instagram (online social networks)
- WhatsApp and Messenger (messaging services)
- Meta Ads (online advertising)
Facebook Marketplace was designated in 2023 but removed from the list on 23 April 2025.
Amazon: 2 services
- Amazon Marketplace (online intermediation service)
- Amazon Advertising
Microsoft: 2 services
- Windows PC OS (operating system)
- LinkedIn (online social network)
ByteDance: 1 service
- TikTok (online social network)
Booking: 1 service
- Booking.com (online intermediation service), designated on 13 May 2024
The first six gatekeepers were designated on 6 September 2023 and had to comply with all obligations from 7 March 2024.
How a company becomes a gatekeeper
A company is presumed to be a gatekeeper when a core platform service it offers in at least three member states meets all of these thresholds:
- EU annual turnover of at least €7.5 billion in each of the last three financial years, or an average market capitalisation or equivalent fair market value of at least €75 billion in the last financial year;
- at least 45 million monthly active end users and at least 10,000 yearly active business users in the EU;
- both user thresholds met in each of the last three financial years.
A company that meets the thresholds must notify the Commission within two months, and the Commission decides within 45 working days. A designated gatekeeper then has six months to comply. The Commission can also designate a company that does not meet the thresholds after a market investigation, which is the route it is using for cloud computing.
The DMA covers ten types of core platform services: online intermediation services, search engines, social networks, video-sharing platforms, number-independent messaging services, operating systems, web browsers, virtual assistants, cloud computing services and online advertising services.
What gatekeepers must do
Each designated service must follow the obligations in Articles 5 to 7 of the DMA that apply to its type. The best-known ones are:
- no ranking of the gatekeeper's own products above comparable third-party offers;
- no combining of personal data across services without the user's consent;
- business users must be able to tell customers about offers outside the platform and conclude contracts there, free of charge;
- users must be able to uninstall pre-installed apps, change defaults and, for some services, pick from choice screens;
- operating systems must allow third-party app stores and apps, and offer interoperability with key hardware and software features;
- advertisers and publishers must get data on prices and ad performance;
- gatekeepers must inform the Commission of planned acquisitions in the digital sector.
Services that were not designated
- Gmail, Outlook.com and Samsung Internet Browser: met the thresholds, but in September 2023 the Commission accepted that they are not important gateways. Samsung is therefore not a gatekeeper.
- Bing, Edge, Microsoft Advertising and iMessage: market investigations opened in September 2023 ended in February 2024 without designation.
- X: the Commission concluded on 16 October 2024 that its social network should not be designated.
- Apple Ads and Apple Maps: notified by Apple in November 2025 and not designated on 5 February 2026.
AWS and Azure: the pending cloud decisions
On 18 November 2025 the Commission opened market investigations into whether Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure should be designated, plus a third investigation into whether the DMA's obligations fit the cloud sector. On 25 June 2026 it told both companies of its preliminary view that they should be designated, even though neither service meets the quantitative thresholds. It pointed to their size, lock-in effects, high switching costs and the role of their AI tools in cloud purchasing.
The DMA asks the Commission to aim to finish such investigations within 12 months, which points to final decisions around November 2026. If designation is confirmed, Amazon and Microsoft would have six months to bring AWS and Azure into line. More on the cloud market in our Cloud & Data coverage.
Fines and non-compliance decisions
Gatekeepers that breach the DMA face fines of up to 10% of total worldwide turnover, or 20% for repeated infringements, and periodic penalty payments of up to 5% of average daily worldwide turnover. Systematic non-compliance can lead to behavioural or structural remedies. As of October 2026 there have been three sets of fines:
- Apple, €500 million on 23 April 2025, for anti-steering rules in the App Store.
- Meta, €200 million on the same day, for its "pay or consent" advertising model. In December 2025 Meta committed to offer EU users, from January 2026, a version of Facebook and Instagram with less personalised ads.
- Google, €890 million on 23 July 2026: €460 million for favouring its own services in Google Search and €430 million for anti-steering restrictions on Google Play. Google had 60 days to comply.
Other DMA milestones in 2026
- 27 January 2026: proceedings opened to specify how Google must provide Android interoperability for AI services and share search data with rivals; the Commission adopted binding specification decisions on both on 16 July 2026.
- 28 April 2026: the first review of the DMA concluded that the regulation remains fit for purpose.
- 22 May 2026: the Commission published its third annual report on DMA implementation.
Frequently asked questions
How many gatekeepers are there under the DMA?
Seven: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, Microsoft and Booking. Together they have 23 designated core platform services as of October 2026.
Are AWS and Microsoft Azure DMA gatekeepers?
Not yet. The Commission reached a preliminary view in June 2026 that both should be designated for cloud computing. The DMA's 12-month target for such investigations points to final decisions around November 2026, but no date has been fixed.
Is X a gatekeeper under the Digital Markets Act?
No. The Commission decided on 16 October 2024 not to designate X's social network, although X is a very large online platform under the Digital Services Act.
What is the difference between a DMA gatekeeper and a DSA VLOP?
The DMA sets competition-style rules for the largest platform companies, such as bans on self-preferencing. The DSA regulates how large platforms handle illegal content and systemic risks, and it covers many more services; see our list of DSA very large online platforms.
What is the maximum fine under the DMA?
Up to 10% of a gatekeeper's total worldwide turnover, rising to 20% for repeated infringements.