2014 is off to a great start in Tech. Facebook is buying WhatsApp, a smartphone messaging service that’s enormously popular around the world, for $16 billion, plus $3 billion in restricted stock units for employees, making it one of the biggest tech deals in history.
A document filed with the SEC today confirms the huge purchase. Just like in Instagram acquisition, the company says WhatsApp will continue to operate independently after the acquisition — separate from Facebook Messenger — but claims the deal “accelerates Facebook’s ability to bring connectivity and utility to the world.”
Facebook is also throwing in an extra $3 billion in restricted stock units that will go to WhatsApp’s employees; those will vest over a period of four years after the acquisition is finalized.
