Billionaire Profile

Global Rank

#1183

Image: Brian Shaw | CC BY-SA 2.0 | via Wikimedia Commons

Brian Acton

CEO, WhatsApp

UNITED STATES

Real-Time Net Worth

$3.581B

Estimated based on WhatsApp stock value as of March 6, 2026

0% (24h)

Age

Source

Industry

technology

Citizenship

UNITED STATES

Biography

Brian Acton is an American internet entrepreneur and computer programmer best known as the co-founder of WhatsApp, the popular messaging service. With a current estimated net worth of $3.5 billion, Acton's wealth primarily stems from the sale of WhatsApp to Facebook (now Meta). He is also the Executive Chairman of Signal Technology Foundation, the organization behind the encrypted messaging app Signal, dedicated to secure communication and user privacy. Acton's career highlights include executive roles at Yahoo and a steadfast commitment to philanthropy, having donated over $1 billion to various causes with his wife, Tegan. His work underscores a dedication to technological innovation and a strong belief in the importance of privacy.

Fact Checked

Verified by Editorial Team

Live Data

Updated 3/6/2026

Wealth Over Time

In-Depth Profile

Early Life and Education

Brian Acton was born in 1972 in Michigan. He later moved to Central Florida and graduated from Lake Howell High School. Acton received a full scholarship to study engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, but he left after one year to study at Stanford University. He graduated from Stanford in 1994 with a degree in computer science.

Career

Acton's career began in 1992 as a systems administrator at Rockwell International. He then worked as a product tester at Apple Inc. and Adobe Systems. In 1996, Acton joined Yahoo, where he met Jan Koum.

In 2009, Acton and Koum co-founded WhatsApp, a mobile messaging application. In February 2014, Facebook acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion. Acton held over a 20% stake in the company, which gave him a net worth of around $3.8 billion at the time.

Signal Foundation

Acton left WhatsApp in September 2017. In 2018, he co-founded the Signal Foundation with Moxie Marlinspike. The Signal Foundation developed the Signal app, an open-source messaging platform with a strong focus on privacy and encryption.

Philanthropy

In 2014, Acton and his wife, Tegan, started Wildcard Giving, with three sister foundations: Sunlight Giving, Acton Family Giving, and Solidarity Giving. In 2019, Forbes reported that the Actons had donated over $1 billion to charitable causes.

Career Milestones

1992

Systems Administrator

Began career as a systems administrator at Rockwell International.

1996

Yahoo!

Joined Yahoo as an infrastructure engineer.

2009

Co-founded WhatsApp

Co-founded WhatsApp with Jan Koum.

2014

WhatsApp Acquired by Facebook

Facebook acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion.

2017

Left WhatsApp

Left WhatsApp.

2018

Co-founded Signal Foundation

Co-founded the Signal Foundation with Moxie Marlinspike.

Philanthropy & Social Impact

Family Foundation

Sunlight Giving

$1B+

Supports the basic services of low-income families with young children in the Bay Area.

Business Philosophy & Leadership

Notable Quotes

""A single message is like your first-born child, we can never drop a message.""

Controversies & Challenges

2017

Departure from Facebook

Left Facebook due to disagreements over the monetization of WhatsApp and user privacy.

2018

#deletefacebook Tweet

Tweeted '#deletefacebook' in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

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