WhatsApp, the world’s leading messaging app, will start displaying advertisements in its Updates tab, marking a major shift in Meta Platforms’ monetisation strategy.
The company confirmed in a blog post on Monday that ads will appear only in the Updates section, which includes Status updates and Channels, used daily by around 1.5 billion people.
WhatsApp stressed that personal chats remain ad-free, and end-to-end encryption ensures private messages, calls, and group interactions are not used for advertising.
“The personal messaging experience on WhatsApp isn’t changing,” the company said. “Messages, calls, and statuses are end-to-end encrypted and cannot be used for ads.”
This change marks a departure from WhatsApp’s decade-long ad-free policy. Founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton opposed advertisements when the app launched in 2009, citing user privacy concerns. Even after Facebook acquired WhatsApp in 2014, the commitment to an ad-free platform was reiterated. Both founders eventually left Meta over disagreements regarding monetisation and data policies.
Meta now aims to monetise WhatsApp’s 2.5 billion users, balancing revenue growth with privacy. Ads will be targeted using limited user data such as age, location, language, and followed Channels, while personal messages remain private.
The company also introduced three new revenue tools:
Ads in the Updates tab – allowing brands to reach audiences via Status and Channels.
Paid subscriptions for Channels – enabling creators to charge followers for exclusive updates.
Promoted Channels – businesses and public figures can pay for greater visibility.
Meta continues to rely heavily on advertising, generating $164.5 billion in 2025, with $160.6 billion coming from ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. CEO Mark Zuckerberg called WhatsApp and Messenger the company’s “next billion-user monetisation platforms”, focusing on business messaging, in-app commerce, and creator tools.
Analysts view the ad introduction as a turning point for WhatsApp, long considered a “sleeping giant” in Meta’s portfolio.
“WhatsApp has immense commercial potential, especially in developing markets,” said digital analyst Lebo Maseko. “Controlled advertising could test whether monetisation can coexist with user trust.”
While offering financial potential, the new ad model risks alienating users who value WhatsApp’s simplicity and privacy. Meta plans a gradual global rollout and will monitor feedback closely to maintain trust while evolving the platform.