ACM’s State of the Market 2026: What it means for the tech sector
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has published its first annual State of the Market 2026 report, warning that competition in the Netherlands has been declining steadily for more than a decade. The regulator points to particular risks in the technology sector, where growing market concentration can limit innovation and increase dependence on a small number of dominant digital players.
Against this backdrop, ACM stresses that effective competition is essential for an innovative and resilient society. For the tech sector, the report provides insight into how digital markets are changing and how regulation is increasingly shaping the environment in which technology companies operate.
Competition and innovation in digital markets
ACM emphasises that competition remains a critical driver of innovation. In the tech sector, this is not only about pricing but also about access to data, interoperability, user choice, and the ability for new entrants to compete. Highly concentrated digital markets can limit these dynamics, prompting closer regulatory attention to dominant platforms and market structures.
However, based on the figures from 2011 to 2023, market concentration has increased while the entry of new, innovative players has declined, allowing established companies to raise margins more easily without delivering better services in return.
Cloud services market as strategic vulnerability
The ACM draws particular attention to the cloud services market, which it describes as a growing strategic risk. Much of the Netherlands’ critical digital infrastructure is now hosted by a small number of non-European cloud providers, including Microsoft, AWS, and Google.
This high level of dependency, ACM warns, goes beyond competition concerns and introduces broader strategic and security risks. To address this, the regulator argues for a more active role for governments and closer European cooperation to reduce entry barriers for European cloud providers and reinforce digital sovereignty.
Increased oversight of platforms and digital services
With the Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act now in force, ACM plays a growing role in supervising digital platforms in the Netherlands. This expands regulatory expectations for tech companies beyond privacy and cybersecurity to include competition compliance, consumer protection, and transparency in digital services.
Algorithms and market power
The report also points to the growing influence of algorithms in digital markets, from automated pricing to ranking and recommendation systems. While these technologies can improve efficiency, ACM signals that their impact on competition and transparency will be monitored more closely, especially where market power is involved.
What this means for CISOs
For CISOs and technology leaders, the report reinforces that digital resilience extends beyond technical security. Regulatory compliance, platform governance, and fair market conduct are becoming integral parts of risk management. Ensuring alignment between security, legal, and product teams is increasingly essential.
Competition as a foundation for digital resilience
ACM’s message is clear. Competitive digital markets support innovation, resilience, and trust. For the tech sector and the CISO community, understanding competition policy and digital regulation is now part of building secure and sustainable digital ecosystems.