Meta Platforms, one of the world's largest companies by market capitalization, owns WhatsApp, the messaging service launched in 2009.
WhatsApp was founded by Jan Koum and Brian Acton, former Yahoo employees who wanted a simple status and messaging application. It grew rapidly by supporting internet-based messages across mobile platforms and by avoiding the international SMS charges common at the time.
Facebook, now Meta Platforms, announced its agreement to acquire WhatsApp in 2014. The transaction was valued at approximately $19 billion when announced, making it one of the largest technology acquisitions of its era.
WhatsApp remains distinct from Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct, although all three are owned by Meta. Telegram, WeChat, and Signal are separate services operated by other organizations. WhatsApp introduced end-to-end encryption by default for personal messages and calls.