Norton maker Gen Digital in talks to acquire GoDaddy in potential takeover, Financial Times reports

Daniel Levi Posted On September 24, 2026

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Gen Digital, the cybersecurity company behind Norton and Avast, has approached GoDaddy about a potential acquisition that could bring one of the internet’s largest domain registrars under the same roof as some of the best-known names in consumer security.The Financial Times reported Thursday that Gen Digital made an initial takeover approach to GoDaddy in recent weeks, citing people familiar with the matter. Discussions remain at an early stage, and there is no guarantee they will result in a deal. Financial terms have not been disclosed.

“GoDaddy receives takeover offer from maker of Norton antivirus software. Talks between web domain provider and Gen Digital at early stage but could allow acquirer to broaden its business beyond cyber security,” Financial Times reported.

Investors reacted immediately. GoDaddy shares jumped sharply following the report, rising more than 10% at one point, with trading briefly halted for volatility. Gen Digital shares moved in the opposite direction, falling around 7% after the news surfaced.

Before the report, Gen Digital had a market value of roughly $15.7 billion, and GoDaddy was valued at about $12.2 billion. That makes any potential transaction a major bet for Gen Digital, not a routine bolt-on acquisition.

Why GoDaddy could fit Gen Digital

Gen Digital has spent years building a collection of consumer internet brands. The company was formed in 2022 through the merger of NortonLifeLock and Avast and now owns brands including Norton, Avast, LifeLock and MoneyLion. Gen reported $5 billion in revenue for fiscal 2026 and had 81 million paid customers as of July.

GoDaddy would give that portfolio something different: a direct connection to millions of businesses, entrepreneurs and website owners.

The company serves more than 20 million customers and manages roughly 81 million domains, according to figures cited in reports about the takeover approach. That customer base could give Gen Digital a much larger channel for selling security, identity protection, privacy and other digital services.

That helps explain why the deal would represent more than a cybersecurity company buying a domain registrar.

GoDaddy sits at the starting point for many businesses going online. Customers come to the company to register domains, build websites, buy hosting, set up email and sell products. Gen Digital operates further along the same digital chain, protecting devices, identities, accounts and personal information.

Combining those businesses could give Gen a much broader role in how consumers and small businesses establish and protect their online presence.

The timing is notable for another reason. GoDaddy shares have faced pressure this year amid investor questions about how artificial intelligence could reshape website creation and other services that have traditionally supported its business.

TechStartups covered GoDaddy back in December 2021, when activist investor Starboard Value LP disclosed a 6.5% stake in the company worth about $800 million. The Wall Street Journal reported the investment at the time, citing a regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

In February, the company forecast annual revenue below Wall Street expectations as adoption of its AI-related products developed more slowly than expected.

Gen Digital has been moving deeper into AI itself. The company has introduced AI-focused security products and partnered with xAI to bring Grok models into consumer products such as Norton Neo.

A GoDaddy acquisition would push Gen far beyond its antivirus roots and place it deeper inside the infrastructure millions of businesses use to operate online.

For now, the deal remains just that: a potential deal. The companies’ size, the financing required, and the early stage of negotiations leave plenty of room for talks to end without an agreement.

The market’s reaction shows investors are paying attention.