Microsoft Defends Cloud Licensing Rules to Brazil's CADE

By Maria Júlia Baumert ( January 20, 2026, 21:27 GMT | Insight) -- Microsoft's cloud licensing rules protect competition, and intervention in the market would benefit Google and Amazon, the company told the Brazilian competition authority. The statement was made in response to a query sent by the authority on Jan. 6, the same day it opened an administrative inquiry into the company to assess whether Microsoft’s software licensing practices in Brazil’s cloud services market restrict competition.Microsoft's cloud licensing rules protect competition, and intervention in the market would benefit Google and Amazon, the company told the Brazilian competition authority. The statement was made in response to a query sent by the authority on Jan. 6, the same day it opened an administrative inquiry into the company to assess whether Microsoft’s software licensing practices in Brazil’s cloud services market restrict competition. ... Prepare for tomorrow’s regulatory change, today MLex identifies risk to business wherever it emerges, with specialist reporters across the globe providing exclusive news and deep-dive analysis on the proposals, probes, enforcement actions and rulings that matter to your organization and clients, now and in the longer term. Know what others in the room don’t, with features including: Daily newsletters for Antitrust, M&A, Trade, Data Privacy & Security, Technology, AI and more Custom alerts on specific filters including geographies, industries, topics and companies to suit your practice needs Predictive analysis from expert journalists across North America, the UK and Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific Curated case files bringing together news, analysis and source documents in a single timeline Experience MLex today with a 14-day free trial.