How much did the creator of WhatsApp earn - briefly?
The creator of WhatsApp, Jan Koum, earned approximately $6 billion when Facebook acquired the company in 2014. This acquisition marked a significant milestone for both Koum and the messaging platform.
How much did the creator of WhatsApp earn - in detail?
The creation and subsequent sale of WhatsApp to Facebook in 2014 marked a significant milestone in tech history, with the founder, Jan Koum, earning an impressive sum from the transaction.
Jan Koum, along with Brian Acton, co-founded WhatsApp Inc. in 2009. The messaging app quickly gained popularity due to its user-friendly interface and secure communication features. By 2014, it had amassed over 600 million users worldwide.
In February 2014, Facebook announced its acquisition of WhatsApp for a staggering $19 billion. This deal was one of the largest in tech history at that time. The purchase price included $4 billion in cash and approximately $12 billion in Facebook shares. Additionally, Koum received around 45.6 million restricted stock units (RSUs) as part of the acquisition agreement.
At the time of the acquisition, each RSU was valued at roughly $21.84, based on Facebook's closing share price. Therefore, Jan Koum’s stake in WhatsApp, which amounted to about 45% of the company, translated into a significant financial windfall.
After accounting for various factors such as taxes and other expenses, it is estimated that Jan Koum earned approximately $6.8 billion from the sale. This figure places him among the wealthiest individuals in the tech industry.
The acquisition not only made Koum financially successful but also positioned WhatsApp as a key player in Facebook's ecosystem, further solidifying its status as a global communication platform.