They will appear in only one part of the Meta-owned messaging service, it said. The move is potentially lucrative, while raising questions about user privacy.

WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms, will introduce ads in the app's Updates tab, used by 1.5 billion people daily. The ads aim to create a new revenue stream without altering the personal messaging experience.

Meta emphasised that private messages, calls, and group chats will remain ad-free, preserving the core messaging experience. “If you only use WhatsApp to chat with friends and loved ones, there will be no change to your experience at all,” the company stated in a press release.