Meta will roll out ads in WhatsApp’s Updates tab, tapping into its vast user base while keeping personal messages ad-free and end-to-end encrypted.
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| WhatsApp will introduce ads in its Updates tab, targeting users by region and preferences—but private chats and calls will remain free from ad tracking. Image: ChicHue |
MENLO PARK, California — June 17, 2025:
WhatsApp, the widely used global messaging platform owned by Meta Platforms Inc., will begin displaying advertisements within certain areas of the app, the company announced on Monday. The new feature is part of Meta’s broader push to generate revenue from WhatsApp’s enormous user base, which includes billions of users worldwide.
The advertisements will be shown only in the app’s Updates tab—a section used by up to 1.5 billion users each day to follow channels and view status updates. WhatsApp developers were clear that these ads will not appear in private chat areas. The company reiterated that personal messaging, including one-on-one chats, calls, and statuses, will remain fully end-to-end encrypted and inaccessible for advertising purposes.
In a blog post, WhatsApp stated that the core messaging experience will remain unchanged. The decision to introduce ads in the Updates section reflects Meta’s long-standing interest in monetizing WhatsApp, which it acquired in 2014. WhatsApp's original founders, Jan Koum and Brian Acton, strongly opposed advertising on the platform and left the company a few years after the acquisition, citing differences over monetization strategies.
Ads in WhatsApp will be targeted based on general user information such as age, language, country or city of residence, followed channels, and interaction patterns with in-app content. WhatsApp confirmed that it will not use personal messages, calls, or group activity to target ads, maintaining a strict boundary between user privacy and revenue generation.
The ad rollout is one of three monetization tools unveiled by WhatsApp on Monday. Alongside advertising, channel administrators now have the option to charge users a monthly subscription fee in exchange for exclusive updates. Business owners are also being offered paid promotional tools to boost the visibility of their channels to potential new followers.
Meta’s move to monetize WhatsApp aligns with its core business model. In 2025 alone, the company reported $164.5 billion in total revenue, with $160.6 billion derived from advertising. This latest step brings WhatsApp into closer alignment with Meta’s other platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, which already serve as major advertising vehicles.
By keeping personal messaging protected while monetizing public-facing areas of the app, Meta aims to balance user trust with financial growth. The company continues to emphasize that privacy remains central to WhatsApp’s mission, even as it explores new ways to leverage its scale in the global digital economy.