Market Definition in Multi-Sided Digital Platforms: Evidence from Ride-Hailing Markets in Iran

Document Type : applicative

Authors

1 Imam Sadiq University (A.S.)

2 University of Tehran

10.30473/jier.2026.78131.1547

Abstract

A B S T R A C T
Market definition is the primary and most consequential step in the assessment of anticompetitive conduct. However, in multisided digital platforms, network effects and asymmetric pricing across user groups undermine the applicability of conventional market definition tools such as the SSNIP test. This raises a fundamental question: how should the relevant market be defined in digital platform cases, and can a single definition be applied across different cases?
This study examines the challenges of market definition in digital platforms and develops a flexible analytical framework. Using a qualitative, document-based approach, it conducts a comparative analysis of 19 competition cases from the European Union, the United Kingdom, Spain, Russia, and other jurisdictions. The proposed framework is also applied to the Iranian online ride-hailing market.
The findings indicate that market definition depends significantly on the nature of the alleged anticompetitive conduct. In exclusionary cases, the relevant market should be confined to the platform environment, whereas in exploitative cases, it should be defined more broadly to include traditional substitutes. Overall, the results demonstrate the limitations of static approaches and support a case-specific, purpose-oriented framework for defining relevant markets in multisided digital platforms.

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History

  • Receive Date: 20 May 2026
  • Revise Date: 30 June 2026
  • Accept Date: 15 September 2026

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