Facebook to Buy WhatsApp for $19 Billion

Facebook has agreed to purchase WhatsApp for a whopping $19 billion. The social networking juggernaut will pay for the immensely popular cross-platform messaging client in cash and stock ($4 billion in cash, $12 billion in stock, and additional $3 billion in restricted stock which will vest over the four years after the deal’s closing).

Image by Distimo

As part of the agreement, WhatsApp will continue to operate independently. According to Facebook’s CEO, the company counts on its new acquisition with over 450 million users (70% active on a daily basis) to complement its currently available messaging services. Furthermore, the CEO of WhatsApp will join Facebook's board of directors.

In case you are wondering how that $19 billion compares to other acquisitions, here's some trivia. Microsoft bought Nokia for $7.2 billion in 2013 and Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011. Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion in 2006. So WhatsApp really meant a lot to Facebook.

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Til then...

xoxo Nash