WhatsApp is set to introduce advertising within the app, marking a significant shift as parent company Meta Platforms aims to create a new revenue stream from its vast user base. The advertisements will only be featured in the Updates tab, which attracts around 1.5 billion daily users, thereby excluding personal chat areas from ad placements.
In a blog announcement, WhatsApp assured users that their personal messaging experiences would remain unchanged. All personal messages, calls, and statuses are end-to-end encrypted, and Meta confirmed that this sensitive information will not be used to tailor advertisements.
This strategy represents a notable departure from WhatsApp’s original ethos. Founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton established the messaging platform in 2009 with a commitment to keeping it advertisement-free. However, following Facebook’s acquisition of WhatsApp in 2014, both founders departed the company a few years later.
Meta Platforms has been exploring ways to monetise WhatsApp for some time, and the implementation of ads is just one of several new features being introduced. Advertisements will be personalised based on demographic information such as age, geographic location, and users’ interactions within the app. Importantly, WhatsApp emphasised that personal data from chats or group memberships will not influence the ad targeting.
In addition to ads, WhatsApp announced two other monetisation features: Channels will offer subscription options for exclusive content updates, and businesses can pay for enhanced visibility to attract new users.
Historically, advertising has been the predominant source of income for Meta. In 2025, the company reported total revenues of USD 164.5 billion (approximately AUD 252.3 billion), with a staggering USD 160.6 billion (around AUD 246.3 billion) generated from advertising alone. As WhatsApp ventures into the realm of advertising, it seeks to tap into its extensive reach and elevate its financial performance while endeavouring to maintain user trust.