Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. and IntercontinentalExchange Inc. pulled their bid for NYSE Euronext after talks with U.S. regulators showed they wouldn't secure antitrust approval, clearing the path for Deutsche Boerse AG.

NYSE Euronext agreed to be bought by the Frankfurt-based bourse on Feb. 15, a merger that would create the world's largest exchange operator. The NYSE board twice rejected a rival proposal from Nasdaq and ICE, saying the unsolicited offer would lead to too much debt and regulatory opposition.

“It became clear that we would not be successful in securing regulatory approval for our proposal despite offering a variety of substantial remedies,” Bob Greifeld, chief executive officer of Nasdaq, said in a statement today. “We saw a unique opportunity to create more value for stockholders and strengthen the U.S. as a center for capital formation amid an ongoing shift of these vital activities and jobs outside of our country.”