Meta has begun rolling out a new monetization strategy for WhatsApp. For the first time, the app will show ads and offer paid subscriptions. The rollout began in June 2025 and is expected to become available to all users in a phased manner over the next few months. Notably, the platform has remained largely ad-free even after Meta acquired it in 2014. But according to the social media giant, the new approach is designed to help creators and businesses grow on the platform while giving users more choice.
Under the latest strategy, ads will appear only in the Updates tab, which includes Status posts and Channels. These ads resemble those in Instagram Stories and use only minimal user data (like city or country, language settings, followed Channels, and how users interact).
The ads will not appear in personal chats, group messages, or call screens. The company has highlighted that no ads will interrupt private messaging, and user privacy in conversations will continue to be protected with end-to-end encryption. The platform also assures that it will not share phone numbers with advertisers or use private message data for ad targeting.
Alongside ads, the messaging platform is also introducing paid subscriptions for Channels. This allows creators, brands, and organizations to charge users a monthly fee in exchange for exclusive updates and premium content. Notably, subscriptions will be optional, and users can choose whether or not to support a Channel. The social media powerhouse has confirmed that it will not take a commission on these subscriptions for at least the first year.
In addition to these features, WhatsApp is also launching a way for creators and businesses to promote their Channels. Promoted Channels will appear in the Updates tab to help users discover new content. These promotions are paid placements, similar to ads on Instagram or Facebook.
With over 1.5 billion users checking the Updates tab each day, Meta sees these moves as a major opportunity to generate revenue and expand the platform’s role beyond simple messaging. The development comes at a time when recent reports suggest that WhatsApp is aggressively pushing its efforts to integrate AI features. The company is reportedly testing several new tools, including ‘Summarize with Meta AI‘ (to offer quick overviews of unread messages), ‘Writing Help’ (for tone and clarity suggestions), and ‘Message Translation’ (real-time AI-powered translations within chats). The firm has also started testing an in-app document scanning feature for Android users under its latest beta version 2.25.18.29.
In another parallel (and major) move, Meta has appointed Arun Srinivas as the Managing Director and Head of India Operations. This is particularly significant for WhatsApp, which has its largest user base in the country (with over 500 million monthly active users).
