3. YouTube: $1.65 billion
The video-sharing website was created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005. Basically, they let the users of YouTube to upload, view and share videos.
When Google acquired YouTube in 2006, YouTube was already a phenomenon all over the internet. It was amongst (and still is) the most popular website in the world and number one largest video hosting website.
Google’s desire to buy YouTube didn’t come cheap, but the benefits were as high as the costs. Because YouTube was such a popular site back then, Google saw an opportunity to make money and took it.
Now YouTube is among Google’s most expensive acquirements.
