Meta has officially begun rolling out the first-ever ads in WhatsApp, marking a significant shift since acquiring the app in 2014. Starting June 16, 2025, advertisements will appear—but only in WhatsApp’s Updates (formerly “Status”) tab, which is used daily by around 1.5 billion of its 3 billion monthly users. Private chats will continue to remain ad-free and end-to-end encrypted
💡 Why This Matters for Users and Meta
- Monetization Without Intrusion: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has positioned messaging as its “next major business pillar.” With ads confined to the Updates tab, Meta maintains user trust while tapping into WhatsApp’s massive engagement
- New Revenue Streams for Creators and Businesses: Alongside ads, Meta is launching paid subscriptions for Channels and enabling promotion of business Channels within WhatsApp, with Meta set to take a 10% commission on future earnings
- Minimal User Data Usage: Ads will be targeted based only on broad, non-sensitive data like location, language, and followed Channels—not private messages or calls
🔍 What Users Can Expect
- No disruption to private chats: Conversations, calls, and group chats are still end-to-end encrypted with no ad targeting using message content
- Ads in the Updates tab: Like Instagram Stories, ads appear between public Status updates and Channels—not in chats. Those not using Updates or Channels may notice no changes
- Business and Creator Tools: Businesses can pay to promote their channels and creators can sell subscriptions to exclusive content—Meta taking a 10% cut
📊 What This Means for Meta’s Strategy
- Diversifying revenue away from Facebook and Instagram ads
- Building a multi-purpose “super app” with commerce, messaging, subscriptions—echoing Asia’s WeChat business-standard.com
- Expanding WhatsApp’s business ecosystem, with over 200 million business accounts now able to leverage new ad and subscription tools
✅ What You Should Know
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Ad placement | Updates tab only |
| Chat privacy | Chats remain ad-free & encrypted |
| Ad targeting | Location, language, followed Channels |
| Business tools | Promoted Channels, subscriptions, 10% Meta cut |
| Rollout timing | Starting June 16, 2025, global launch ahead |
🌐 Why It Matters
WhatsApp has long been a privacy-first platform. By introducing non-invasive, tab-based advertising, Meta keeps its promise to users while unlocking a massive new revenue stream. This move could reshape how businesses and creators engage with audiences on WhatsApp and position the app as a global messaging super-app.
