How to Buy WhatsApp Stock [2024]

Summary: WhatsApp is one of the most widely used free instant-messaging apps. However, since its acquisition by Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook) in 2014, it has been impossible to invest in it directly. Nonetheless, those looking to diversify by investing in the social media market can buy Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) stock and invest in WhatsApp indirectly. The most convenient way to do that is to make an account on an online stock trading platform such as eToro.

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About WhatsApp

WhatsApp is one of the most popular instant-messaging applications that allows users to send text messages and voice messages, multimedia files, and documents, as well as make voice and video calls over the internet, all free of charge.

The app was released in 2009 by Brian Acton and Jan Koum, former Yahoo! Employees who sought to provide a simple and reliable way for people to stay connected through their smartphones. However, just five years later, Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) (formerly Facebook) announced that it would be buying the app for $19 billion, which was its largest acquisition to date. Since the acquisition, the app’s user base has grown by 365%, and as of 2023, users worldwide send around 140 billion messages on WhatsApp every day.

How to buy WhatsApp stock: Step-by-step process

In this section, you’ll find a short step-by-step guide on how to buy Meta PLATFORMS (META) stock and invest in WhatsApp conveniently, efficiently, and safely.

Step 1: Choosing the right Broker

First, you’ll need to find a reliable broker whose platform aligns well with your investment goals and strategies. To do that, compare various brokers in regard to factors such as commission fees, the number of stocks and markets available for investing, the complexity of the user interface, ease of access, customer support, etc.

Our go-to broker is eToro, an investing platform regulated by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) featuring:

Commission-free stock trading;
2,000+ stocks from 17 exchanges;
Fractional shares;
User-friendly platform.

Highly Rated Stock Trading & Investing Platform

Invest in 2,800+ stocks and other assets including 70+ cryptocurrencies and commodities.
0% commission on buying stocks - buy in bulk or just a fraction from as little as $10. Other fees apply. For more information, visit etoro.com/trading/fees.
Copy top-performing traders in real time, automatically.
eToro USA is registered with FINRA for securities trading.

30+ million Users

Get Started

Step 2: Opening a Trading Account

When you find a broker, you can register and open a trading account. Usually, investors have to provide the broker with some sort of personal information and go through a know-your-customer (KYC) process. Naturally, some brokers require IDs or proofs of residence, so be sure you have some valid documents at hand, or your account will not be verified and approved.

Note

The registration process can take some time (sometimes up to a few days) if documentation verification is required.

Step 3: Funding Your Account

Once your account is approved, you can transfer funds to it. Most major brokers let users do that by linking their bank and broker accounts, transferring money from another trading account, using payment services such as PayPal, etc.

While transferring funds, make sure that you have enough money in your account to cover not only the cost of the Meta Platforms stock but all the fees and commissions charged by the broker as well. Also, keep in mind that some brokers might impose an account minimum.

Note

To conveniently calculate the average price of your investment, use Finbold’s stock average calculator.

Step 4: Placing an Order

Now that your account is funded, you can buy META stock. To do that, simply follow these steps:

Log in to your account and head over to the trading platform;
Search for the stock using its symbol (META) or company name (Meta Platforms);
Choose the type of order you prefer (Market, Limit, Stop, etc.). If you are new, we recommend market orders, given that they are the simplest ones;
Specify the number of shares you would like to obtain;
Review your order to ensure the details are correct;
Submit your order for execution.

Note

Remember to closely monitor your investments and adjust your strategies as needed if you notice your stock is not performing well or in the way you predicted.

Why invest in WhatsApp by buying META

In addition to its being the most widely used instant messaging app, WhatsApp might have additional major roles to play within the Meta ecosystem in the future. For example:

It could become a major revenue source for Meta, being that the app’s user base grew by 150 million in the past three years. These kinds of numbers led to Zuckerberg’s announcement in November 2022 that WhatsApp would become one of the company’s financial backbones. How likely this is to come true is hard to tell, but some recent changes in the app’s infrastructure that have made it more business-oriented might spell a good time to come;
There are now monetized features within the app. For example, users can post ads within the Meta ecosystem without having something like a Facebook account. This could further increase the app’s revenue streams, as the ads are already responsible for almost 100% of the app’s revenue. In fact, thanks to WhatsApp’s business platform, the app’s revenue went from $443 to $906 million between 2018 and 2022;
Meta has made some strategic moves in countries with large user bases, such as Brazil and India. For example, the platform has partnered with MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: MELI), a major South American e-commerce player set to process WhatsApp payments in Brazil. These kinds of moves have the potential to help the app generate $22 billion in the course of a few years.

Note

To learn how to buy other social media stocks, check our related guides:

1. How to buy TikTok stock;
2. How to buy YouTube stock;
3. How to buy Instagram stock.

Disclaimer: TradingView does not recommend trading financial instruments based exclusively on the advice of the Technical Rating indicator. These recommendations cannot predict future movements and are meant as assistance for spotting potentially favorable buy/sell conditions if this is consistent with their strategy.

META stock price today

Considerations before investing in WhatsApp

Before investing in WhatsApp, it is crucial to consider several crucial factors to make sure you are making a well-informed decision. For example, you can:

Analyze the parent company: WhatsApp is only a small part of the massive Meta ecosystem, so be sure you analyze the performance of the company as a whole before investing. After all, the health of one branch depends on the overall health of the whole tree — if Meta starts performing poorly in multiple areas of business, investing in it will be futile;

Research industry trends: Even if Meta can perform well, it is always possible that some other platforms could outdo it. The social media landscape is dynamic and highly competitive, so keep an eye out for potential new platforms to invest in;

Keep in mind Meta’s dividend policies: Keep in mind that Meta does not pay dividends. This can be a problem for long-term investors looking for steady revenue.

Disclaimer: The content on this site should not be considered investment advice. Investing is speculative. When investing, your capital is at risk.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you are considering investing in WhatsApp, it is essential to understand that you can only do so by investing in its parent company, Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META). When buying Meta shares, it’s crucial to bear in mind all of the various factors that influence their prices. After all, investing in stocks comes with notable and unavoidable risks, governed by large-scale factors such as market fluctuations and the impact of political and economic events, as well as small-scale decisions each investor makes while crafting their investment strategy. Therefore, to maximize your chances of profit, be sure you do your own research by relying on fundamental analysis and learning from more experienced investors.

FAQs about how to buy WhatsApp stock

Can you buy WhatsApp stock?

You can invest in WhatsApp only indirectly, as the app is owned by Meta Platforms and is not a publicly traded company in and of itself.