For years, WhatsApp resisted the advertising model even as its parent company heavily monetised its other platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

WhatsApp, long known for its ad-free messaging, is about to break with tradition and introduce advertisements for the first time. WhatsApp, owned by Meta, announced that ads will soon appear in the app's Updates section,

WhatsApp announced on Monday it will introduce its boldest advertising features yet, marking a significant shift for the messaging platform that has largely remained ad-free since its

The monetisation tools being introduced include optional paid subscriptions for Channels, promoted Channels in the Discovery section, and advertisements embedded in the Status feature, WhatsApp’s answer to Instagram Stories.