FTC sues to block Nvidia's $40 billion takeover of Arm

The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday sued to block US chipmaker Nvidia's proposed $40 billion takeover of UK chip design firm Arm, saying it would stifle competition and give the combined company too much control over chip technology and designs.

The lawsuit threatens to scuttle the world's biggest ever semiconductor merger, which had already been the subject of regulatory scrutiny abroad.

"Semiconductor chips power the computers and technologies that are essential to our modern economy and society," the FTC said in a statement. According to its complaint, "the combined firm would have the means and incentive to stifle innovative next-generation technologies, including those used to run datacenters and driver-assistance systems in cars."