Facebook agreed to buy WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014.
WhatsApp was founded in 2009 by Jan Koum and Brian Acton. It became widely known for internet-based messaging, allowing users to send texts, images, videos, and voice messages using mobile data rather than traditional SMS.
Facebook announced the acquisition on February 19, 2014. The headline value was $19 billion, consisting of cash, Facebook shares, and restricted stock units. Because Facebook’s share price changed before the transaction closed, the final reported value was higher than the announcement figure.
WhatsApp remained a distinct service after the acquisition. Koum left Facebook in 2018, and WhatsApp later expanded its use of end-to-end encryption, voice calls, video calls, and business features. It is now part of Meta’s family of messaging products.