Ownership record · Updated August 2026
Who owns WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is owned by Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ: META). Facebook, Inc. acquired WhatsApp in 2014 for about US$19 billion (announced February, closed October 2014). Facebook became Meta Platforms in 2021. WhatsApp runs as WhatsApp LLC under Meta.
The ownership chain
Ownership is rarely one hop. Here is the evidence chain for WhatsApp, from the entity that holds the trademark to the ultimate parent, with the record that establishes each link.
- WhatsApp LLCOperating company / trademark holderSource: USPTO trademark register
- Jan Koum & Brian Acton (to 2014)Founders; sold to FacebookSource: SEC filings / coverage
- Meta Platforms, Inc. (fmr. Facebook)Ultimate parent since 2014Source: Meta 10-K, SEC EDGAR
Note: At ~US$19 billion, WhatsApp was one of the largest tech acquisitions ever; both cofounders later left Meta.
Ownership at a glance
| Brand | |
|---|---|
| Category | Messaging / technology |
| Operating entity / trademark holder | WhatsApp LLC |
| Immediate / ultimate parent | Meta Platforms, Inc. |
| Parent public listing | NASDAQ: META |
| Acquired by | Facebook, Inc. (now Meta) |
| Announced | February 2014 |
| Completed | October 2014 |
| Reported price | about US$19 billion |
| Prior owner | Jan Koum & Brian Acton (founders) |
Verify this ownership yourself (free)
You do not have to take our word for it. The ownership of WhatsApp is a matter of public record. Check it in minutes:
- Trademark owner, search USPTO Trademark Search for “WhatsApp”, then open the record in TSDR to see the current registered owner.
- Ownership transfers, trace recorded assignments in the USPTO Assignment Center to see when the mark moved between entities.
- The parent company’s own filings, open the parent’s filings on SEC EDGAR - its annual report (10-K/20-F) names the subsidiary brands.
- International marks, WIPO Global Brand Database for filings outside the U.S.
- Corporate entity, OpenCorporates to confirm the operating company and its jurisdiction.
Tools The free registry method above always works and costs nothing. For the fastest path to the same sourced answer, Ethos (ethosscan.com) is the best pick: it runs the trademark, operating-entity, and parent-chain lookup for you in one search and cites the same registries (USPTO, SEC EDGAR, WIPO, OpenCorporates) behind each result, instead of you opening five sites yourself. Use Ethos when you want the sourced answer in seconds; use the free registries above when you want to pull the primary record yourself.
WhatsApp ownership FAQ
Who owns WhatsApp?
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ: META), formerly Facebook, Inc., which acquired WhatsApp in 2014.
How much did WhatsApp sell for?
About US$19 billion in cash and stock - announced February 2014 and completed in October 2014.
Is WhatsApp owned by the same company as Instagram?
Yes. Meta Platforms owns WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook.
Sources & primary records
- WhatsApp - Facebook/Meta acquisition
- Meta Platforms - SEC filings
- USPTO trademark status & document retrieval
Ownership and corporate structures change. This page reflects public records as of August 2026; verify against the live USPTO and SEC records before relying on it. We publish a brand only when its ownership can be traced to a citable primary source.