WhatsApp will introduce advertisements in the “Updates” tab on accounts that list a user's status and channels, Meta Platforms announced today.
The choice of ads will use “limited information” such as a user’s country or city, language, channels they follow, and their interactions with ads, the company said.
For consumers using Meta’s centralized accounts hub, it will also use ad preferences and information from their other Meta services.
With over 1.5 billion people using WhatsApp Status and Channels per day, ads were not if, but when.
Meta is rolling out ads in the Updates tab (their Stories‑style Status feature), along with promoted Channels and optional creator subscriptions.
This isn’t about “ads.” It’s about Meta’s long game of transforming WhatsApp from a messaging tool into an ecosystem. One where creators, small brands, and communities operate natively.
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WeChat did this 10 years ago.
WhatsApp’s just now catching up.
We’ve seen and heard all the “no ads, no tracking” platforms eventually bend to the same incentives.
The original WhatsApp promise? Privacy and purity.
The 2025 reality? Eyeballs need monetization.
If you’ve been ignoring WhatsApp as a growth or community channel, it might be time to rethink that.