Internet company Mail.Ru Group became the sole owner of the social network “VKontakte”, buying 48% stake in the fund UCP. The deal amounted to $ 1.47 billion. Under the deal, Mail.ru, fund UCP and Pavel Durov refused mutual judicial claims. Experts refer to the consolidation of social networks in the hands of Mail.Ru expected and believe that it will positively affect its monetization. On the user’s network policy should not affect the transaction.
Internet company Mail.Ru Group, controlled by USM Holdings billionaire Alisher Usmanov and his partners became the sole owner of the social network “VKontakte”, buying 48% shares of the fund UCP Ilya Sherbovich. This was “the Newspaper” said spokesman Mail.Ru.
According to a press release on the English version of the official website of the company, for the 48.01% stake in the social network Mail.Ru Group will pay UCP $ 1,47 billion. transaction were used available cash Mail.Ru Group of 22, 2 billion rubles., as well as taken from the “Gazprombank” credit for four years at a fixed rate of 11,5%.
The deal Mail.Ru Group to become the sole owner of the most popular the former Soviet Union the social network as the Internet company in 2007, has acquired a 52% stake “VKontakte”. Given the deal in 2007, Mail.Ru Group paid for the shares “VKontakte” $ 2.07 billion.
«We are happy to announce the acquisition of 48.01% of shares of” VKontakte “at UCP. Consolidation of 100% of the shares VK allows us to focus on the most social network and its further development, “- commented on the deal, chairman and CEO of Mail.Ru Group Dmitry Grishin. He also said that Mail.Ru not going to change the team “VKontakte” or interfere with social networks.
Former CEO “VKontakte” Pavel Durov congratulated all the participants in the transaction and its successful completion, and endorsed the decision VK renounce claims to ownership Telegram, according to an official statement of the company.
Deal to end all litigation between the fund UCP, Mail.Ru and Pavel Durov, the message Mail.Ru Group.
«For” VKontakte “consolidation in the hands of Mail.Ru Group sees the best outcome, as we have previously observed a constant conflict between corporate and Mail.Ru UCP, which adversely affected the determining the direction of the development of social networks. In addition, VK will be serious changes since Mail.Ru will fight against illegal content and increase the monetization of social networks. So that users will have to get used to more advertising and an abundance of paid options, “- said” Gazeta.ru “analyst of the Russian Association of Electronic Communications Karen Kazeryan.
He also stressed that the “VKontakte” already for a long time “is not an independent company,” so that the big changes on the part of users’ personal information of detection can be expected.
Recall, September 4, it became known that the negotiations on the terms of repayment 48% of the company “VKontakte” the fund UCP Ilya Sherbovich in the final stage. Sources reported that the buyer share UCP can be either Mail.Ru Group, or certain third-party, but a friendly group of shareholders structure.
«VKontakte” today is Russia’s largest social network. In 2013, the social network’s revenue amounted to 3.825 billion rubles. According LiveInternet, site has a monthly audience of 52.1 million people and is the first in popularity on the territory of Belarus, the second – in Russia (after “Yandex”) and Ukraine and 21st – in the world.
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