A gatekeeper is a large platform firm that the EU has formally designated under the Digital Markets Act, because businesses depend on it to reach users. Each designation names the firm and its core platform services, such as an app store or social network, which must then follow the Act’s rules.
Table of Contents
Types of gatekeeper designation
- By presumption: a firm is presumed a gatekeeper when it has EU turnover of €7.5 billion in each of the last three years or a market value of €75 billion, and a service with 45 million monthly users and 10,000 business users in the EU.
- By market investigation: the Commission can designate a firm that misses the thresholds, after an investigation shows it holds an entrenched gateway position.
Key factors
- Important gateway. The test is whether businesses depend on the service to reach users.
- Rebuttal. A firm that meets the thresholds can argue it is still not a gateway, with evidence on use and dependence.
- Single-homing users. Power is greatest where users rely on one service, making access to them very costly for rivals.
Examples
Meta. In September 2023 the Commission designated six Meta services, including Facebook Marketplace. In April 2025 it removed the Marketplace designation, after Meta changed the service and it fell below the business-user threshold. In June 2026 the General Court annulled the original Marketplace designation, while upholding Messenger’s. Designation applies service by service.
X. In March 2024 X told the Commission that its social network met the size thresholds, but argued it was not an important gateway. After a market investigation, the Commission agreed in October 2024 and did not designate it. It found that business users did not depend on X to reach consumers. It was a successful rebuttal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a gatekeeper and an ecosystem control point?
A control point is any position that gives power over how value flows, such as a payment step or an operating system. Gatekeeper is a legal status that attaches binding rules to some of those positions.
How many gatekeepers are there under the DMA?
Seven firms had been designated by 2026, covering 23 core platform services. The first six were named in September 2023 and a seventh in May 2024.
Can a platform stop being a gatekeeper?
Yes. The Commission reviews designations and can lift one when a service no longer meets the criteria, for example after its business users fall below the threshold. Firms can also challenge designations in the EU courts.
Do platforms act as gatekeepers without being designated?
Yes, in the everyday sense. Any platform that vets who may sell or build on it controls access, but only designated gatekeepers must follow the Digital Markets Act’s fixed rules.