Facebook takeover WhatsApp in 19 billion USD

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The takeover of WhatsApp by Facebook is the latest move by a technology giant to snap up a rival in the social media sphere.

The 19 billion US dollar deal greatly supersedes Yahoo's acquisition of blogging site Tumblr last year for 1.1 billion US dollars (£720 million). It is the biggest purchase yet for Facebook and the most expensive for an Internet company in more than a decade.

At present WhatsApp has more than 450 million active monthly users, with 70 per cent of this user base utilising the BBM and iMessage rival daily.

With WhatsApp continuing to add more than one million registered users daily, Facebook has confirmed that the messaging service will retain its brand identity and continue to be run independently following the deal.