WhatsApp co-founders Koum and Acton make it to Forbes list of billionaires

Advertisement
By NDTV Correspondent | Updated: 5 March 2014 14:08 IST
Following Facebook's announced $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp, the two founders of the popular mobile messaging service have now earned a new distinction - a place in the Forbes's list of global billionaires.

According to Forbes, 38-year-old Jan Koum, who ranks 202 in the list, is now worth $6.8 billion and 42-year-old Brian Acton (rank 551) is worth $3 billion.

(Also see: Facebook to buy WhatsApp in a $19 billion deal)

Run by just 55 employees, WhatsApp has over 450 million active users.

Advertisement

Koum and Acton are among 26 newcomers who made it fresh to the annual list, alongside Twitter's Evan Williams, who has a fortune of $3 billion.

Advertisement

Microsoft founder Bill Gates topped the list with his $76 billion fortune. Gates has topped the list in 15 of the last 20 years.

The Microsoft Corp co-founder reclaimed the top spot after a four-year hiatus, toppling Mexico's telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim Helu. Slim came in second with his fortune of $72 billion.

Advertisement

A record 1,645 billionaires with a total net worth of $6.4 trillion made Forbes' list, up from 1,426 last year. Just over 10 percent were female, with 172 women compared with 138 a year earlier. This year's annual rich list has the largest number of female billionaires ever, said Forbes.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc heiress Christy Walton was the highest-ranking woman, in ninth place, at $36.7 billion. France's Liliane Bettencourt, who got much of her wealth from cosmetics company L'Oreal SA, was next among women at $34.5 billion, and ranked 11th overall.

Advertisement

The Internet was well-represented. Google Inc founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin ranked 17th and 19th, worth a respective $32.3 billion and $31.8 billion, while Amazon Inc's Jeff Bezos was between them at $32 billion.

However, according to the Forbes report, it was Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg who made the most money in the world over the past year.

From 2013's estimate of $15.2 billion to $28.5 billion this year, Zuckerberg's net worth nearly doubled within one year.

Written with agency inputs

 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Further reading: Brian Acton, Jan Koum, WhatsApp
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. OnePlus Pad Go 2 Launched in India With 10,050mAh Battery, 5G Connectivity
  2. OnePlus 15R With 7,400mAh Battery, Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Debuts at This Price
  3. Realme 16 Pro+ 5G Listed on Certification Website With These Specifications
  4. Dhurandhar OTT Release Date: What We Know So Far
  5. Apple's iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Fold May Feature a Relocated Selfie Camera
  6. Google Pay Brings Its First Co-Branded UPI-Powered Digital Credit Card
  7. You Can Now Make Amazon Pay Transactions With Biometric Authentication
  8. Dress to Impress Codes (December 2025): Get Free Outfits and Accessories
  9. OpenAI's New ChatGPT Images Rolled Out With Nano Banana-Like Features
  10. OnePlus 15, Nord CE 5 Prices Slashed During Community Sale: See Offers
  1. Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Nears Earth on Dec. 19, Offering Rare Insights Into Cosmic Visitors
  2. Europe’s Ariane 6 Rocket Lifts Off With First Galileo Satellites, Boosting Europe’s Navigation Network
  3. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Observes Solar Wind Making ‘U-Turn’, Shedding Light on Space Weather
  4. ESA Reveals City-Size ‘Cosmic Butterfly’ Crater on Mars Containing Signs of Ancient Water
  5. The Holy Grail of Eris OTT Release: Know When and Where to Watch it Online
  6. OnePlus Pad Go 2 Launched in India With 10,050mAh Battery, 12.1-Inch Display and 5G Connectivity: Price, Features
  7. OnePlus 15R Launched in India With 7,400mAh Battery, Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 SoC: Price, Specifications
  8. Flex By Google Pay: Google Partners With Axis Bank to Introduce UPI-Powered, Digital Credit Card
  9. Warner Bros. Plans to Reject Paramount Bid on Funding, Terms
  10. Amazon Pay Adds Support for Biometric Authentication for UPI Payments in India
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.