Switzerland’s competition watchdog, the Competition Commission (COMCO), has launched a preliminary investigation into Microsoft’s software licensing practices following complaints from more than a dozen businesses and public‐sector bodies. Complainants allege that recent price increases for on-premise and cloud-connected licenses have left them with no viable alternative, raising concerns that Microsoft may be leveraging its dominant market position to impose unfair terms. Should COMCO find preliminary evidence of anti-competitive behavior, it could initiate a formal investigation that carries the prospect of fines up to 10% of Microsoft’s annual turnover. The probe underscores growing regulatory scrutiny in Europe over the tech giant’s commercial relationships and could influence Microsoft’s approach to licensing negotiations across the region.

Daniel Newman, CEO of research firm Futurum Group, projects that Microsoft is poised to return to a $4 trillion market valuation by late 2026, citing two primary catalysts. First, Newman highlights the company’s Enterprise AI push, with Azure revenues benefiting from multi-model infrastructure and new offerings such as the Vera Rubin AI supercomputer. He notes that corporate backlog for AI contracts has grown by over 60% year-to-date, providing a robust revenue runway. Second, Newman underscores Microsoft’s commitment to self-fund its data center energy costs—estimated at $3 billion annually—rather than shifting the burden onto ratepayers. This strategy, he argues, not only insulates long-term margins but positions the company favorably as affordability and sustainability become key political issues ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections.