WhatsApp is owned by Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook. The messaging app was founded in 2009 by Jan Koum and Brian Acton, two former Yahoo employees. In February 2014, Facebook acquired WhatsApp for approximately $19 billion, making it a subsidiary of Meta
. Mark Zuckerberg, as the founder and CEO of Meta, holds significant influence over WhatsApp through his leadership role and ownership stake in Meta, although he does not personally own WhatsApp directly. Since the acquisition, WhatsApp has been integrated into Meta's broader ecosystem alongside Facebook, Instagram, and other services, with Meta managing its strategic direction and monetization efforts
. The original founders, Jan Koum and Brian Acton, left WhatsApp in 2017 and 2018 respectively due to disagreements over data sharing and monetization under Meta's ownership
. Despite these changes, WhatsApp remains one of the world's most popular messaging platforms, with nearly 3 billion users as of early 2025
