Meta turns to WhatsApp for revenue, introduces ads and premium features. All you need to know

Meta has officially confirmed its first major monetisation move for WhatsApp: the platform will begin showing advertisements in the Status and Channels sections, alongside offering optional paid subscriptions to enhance discovery and reach.

The update, unveiled on June 16, marks a significant shift for WhatsApp, which has long resisted traditional advertising.

Since its acquisition by Meta in 2014, WhatsApp has largely steered clear of traditional advertising formats, in contrast to sister platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

While private messages will remain ad-free and encrypted, users may start seeing ads as they tap through Status updates — WhatsApp’s equivalent of Instagram Stories — and in public Channels. Businesses and creators who opt for the subscription model will gain visibility advantages in search and recommendations.

Meta says the step is designed to help creators and brands grow, and provide users with better discovery tools. The company plans to roll out these features gradually across select markets.

In a select media briefing, the company said that for users who only use WhatsApp to chat with friends and family, there will be no change. To show ads in Status and Channels, the platform will share minimal information such as the user’s country or city, language, and the Channels they follow.

Alice Newton-Rex, Vice-President, Product at WhatsApp, said the platform will never share or sell users’ phone numbers to advertisers. Personal messages, calls and group conversations will continue to be encrypted.

“We are increasingly seeing and hearing people wanting to use WhatsApp for more than just messaging close friends and family. That’s part of the reason we introduced the ‘Updates’ tab as a place for optional experiences on WhatsApp like Channels and Status. Almost 1.5 billion people globally use Updates daily. It’s often where people go when they are looking to discover something new,” said Newton-Rex. The new features will roll out gradually over the next few months.

WhatsApp stressed that messages, calls, and groups will remain end-to-end encrypted, maintaining the platform’s core privacy proposition.