The two companies had agreed the deal in January to create a firm worth a combined 3.7 billion US dollars (£2.8 billion).

The photo giant chalks up the scuttling of the deal to a U.K. regulator requiring a divestiture of its rival's editorial business, a non-starter for the company.

The $3.7B deal is being terminated after the UK required Shutterstock to sell its editorial business.