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The news: WhatsApp will begin showing ads for the first time since Meta’s 2014 acquisition, starting with the Updates tab’s Status feature. Sponsored search placements and optional paid subscriptions will also be added to WhatsApp Channels. Ads won’t appear in encrypted chats or groups, and targeting will rely only on minimal metadata unless users opt in to link accounts. Our take: Meta is threading a careful line—monetizing WhatsApp while keeping privacy promises intact. With over 3 billion global users and deep consumer trust, the platform’s subtle shift into ads and subscriptions could deliver big returns if Meta avoids sparking user backlash over commercialization.

Government missteps turned into a viral ad for privacy, giving Signal a rare shot at user loyalty in a market crowded by data-hungry giants.

WhatsApp Business account users will grow by double digits YoY. In 2025, we expect WhatsApp to have 321.2 million business account users worldwide, a 12.7% bump YoY. We expect double-digit growth next year as well, though it is slowing down.