Meta has officially rolled out advertisements on WhatsApp for the first time, introducing “status ads” within the app’s Updates tab. The change, announced on June 17, ends over a decade of ad-free messaging since Facebook’s $19 billion acquisition of the platform in 2014.
These ads will be visible in the Updates section—used for sharing temporary content like stories—and will not appear in users’ private conversations, which remain end-to-end encrypted. Meta says the move allows businesses to interact more directly with users without compromising chat privacy.
In addition to status ads, Meta will begin monetising WhatsApp Channels, allowing organisations to broadcast messages and charge for exclusive content. Businesses can also pay to appear more prominently in search results, with Meta planning to take a 10% cut of future subscription fees.
This pivot reflects CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s strategy to turn WhatsApp into a revenue-generating business platform. Despite the app’s founding opposition to advertising, the change signals Meta’s push to expand its digital ad empire amid regulatory scrutiny and growing competition.
