WhatsApp is a messaging application owned by Meta Platforms Inc., used by over 2 billion people globally. Despite end-to-end encryption for messages, metadata — who you communicate with and when — is shared with Meta for advertising purposes.
Brand Identity Data
Verified on August 2, 2026
Corporate Lineage
Founded
WhatsApp Inc. founded by Jan Koum and Brian Acton.
Acquisition
Facebook (now Meta) acquires WhatsApp for approximately 19 billion USD.
GDPR Fine
Irish DPC fines WhatsApp 225 million EUR for failing to meet transparency requirements under GDPR.
DSA Designation
Designated as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the EU Digital Services Act.
GDPR Fine
Irish DPC fines WhatsApp 5.5 million EUR regarding its legal basis for data processing.
European Alternatives to WhatsApp
Wire
Wire is a Swiss end-to-end encrypted messaging platform for enterprises and governments, headquartered in Zug. It requires no phone number, is GDPR-compliant, and is used by European government bodies as a secure alternative to Slack and Microsoft Teams.
Compare WhatsApp vs. WireThreema
Threema is a Swiss encrypted messaging app requiring no phone number or email to register, headquartered in Pfäffikon. It is fully anonymous by design, independently audited, and stores minimal metadata — a European alternative to WhatsApp.
Compare WhatsApp vs. Threema