'Early' WhatsApp Employees Will Make $160 Million Each

Nicholas Carlson

Feb 20, 2014, 20:47 IST

Bloomberg via Getty Images

These are not Whatsapp employees

Yesterday, Facebook bought messaging app WhatsApp for $19 billion - $12 billion in stock, $4 billion in cash, and another $3 billion in stock grants for employees that will vest over the next four years.

How much will WhatsApp's employees make in the deal?

We don't that how that $3 billion will be divided.

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We do know the $12 billion in cash and $4 billion in cash will be divided among Whatsapp owners.

Whatsapp employees own a piece of the company.

How much?

Forbes's Parmy Olson reports: "Early employees are said to have comparatively large equity shares of close to 1%."

Ready to have your mind blown?

1% of $16 billion is…

…$160 million.