New York, February 10, 2026, 10:25 a.m. EST — Regular session
Meta Platforms edged down 0.2% to $675.62 in early trading Tuesday, as EU antitrust officials threatened action over the company’s moves to limit rival AI assistants on WhatsApp. Regulators said Meta could be forced to drop restrictions. 1
The warning packs a punch, since Brussels is considering interim measures—those quick, rarely used orders that can shake up business before regulators finish their probe. For Meta, that could translate into having to open up the WhatsApp Business API—the software businesses use to link their own tools to WhatsApp and reach customers—to general-purpose chatbots. It’s an unusually fast move for EU antitrust, which is exactly why investors pay attention: these orders can drop ahead of any final decision. 2
Messaging platforms are fast becoming retail space for AI assistants, but regulators warn Meta’s policies may keep rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT off WhatsApp’s business channel, limiting their access to users. 3
According to media reports, the European Commission delivered a “statement of objections” to Meta—essentially a formal antitrust charge sheet—flagging terms, effective since Jan. 15, that make Meta AI the sole assistant permitted under its rules. Competition chief Teresa Ribera signaled possible swift regulatory steps to prevent Meta’s policy from “irreparably harming competition in Europe.” Meta, for its part, maintains there’s no justification for EU action. 4
On Tuesday, Meta got a bit of a breather from the EU’s top court. Judges ruled that WhatsApp is entitled to contest a €225 million ($268 million) privacy fine, which stemmed from an Irish regulator’s decision—later bumped up after the European Data Protection Board weighed in, according to the court. 5
Analysts kept their focus on engagement metrics rather than Brussels headlines. Citizens’ Andrew Boone highlighted that Instagram’s global time spent jumped 18% or more year-over-year for half a year running, with January alone up 19.2%. The brokerage repeated its Market Outperform call and maintained the $900 target. 6
Meta signaled in a filing that it’s planning to extend heavy spending into 2026, pointing to priorities like AI, Reels, its discovery engine, plus wearables and boosting infrastructure. 7
WhatsApp took aim at the way EU privacy rulings come together, calling out the European Data Protection Board as an “unelected authority,” according to the Financial Times. After the court decision, the company hailed the outcome as a step forward for accountability. 8
The antitrust case adds a new layer of uncertainty. EU competition fines, according to the European Commission, can reach as high as 10% of a firm’s yearly turnover. 9
Eyes are on Meta’s next move in Brussels, with participants gauging any hint from regulators on the pace of potential interim actions. Beyond that, traders are bracing for U.S. labour numbers landing Feb. 11, plus the January CPI print set for 8:30 a.m. ET Friday, Feb. 13. 10
