Announced on Monday during the Cannes Lions advertising conference, the new feature will display ads from businesses in the app’s Stories-like “status” section, which is used by about 1.5 billion people daily.

This is the first time WhatsApp, which built its reputation on simplicity and privacy, will allow advertisements within the platform.

Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, says the ads will be targeted using limited information such as users’ location, language, and interactions within the app. However, personal messages, calls, and contacts will remain off-limits for ad targeting, and WhatsApp promises that end-to-end encryption will stay intact.

“We work hard to protect the privacy of people’s communications,” said Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp. “Some people only use WhatsApp for private chats and calls, and nothing is changing about that.”

The move follows years of internal debate. WhatsApp’s original founders, Jan Koum and Brian Acton, were firmly opposed to monetising the platform through ads, but both left the company years ago.

Meta had considered similar advertising plans before shelving them in 2020, only to revive the idea amid rising pressure to diversify revenue sources.

Meta’s advertising business remains robust, generating nearly all of its $164 billion in revenue last year, but WhatsApp has been one of its last major platforms to remain untouched by ads.

Analysts suggest this new strategy could unlock a significant, yet largely untapped, revenue stream from the world’s most popular messaging app.

In addition to the in-app ads, WhatsApp also plans to promote content creators and businesses through its “channels” feature, and will introduce paid subscriptions for exclusive updates.

Despite Meta’s reassurances, the change is likely to spark concerns among users and privacy advocates. However, the company insists that participation in cross-platform data sharing for ad targeting is optional, and users can manage their preferences through Meta’s Accounts Center.

WhatsApp has ended its long-standing ad-free policy, unveiling a new plan to introduce in-app advertising through its “Updates” tab, marking a major shift in the messaging app’s business model.