Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has refuted recent reports suggesting it is considering introducing advertisements to the messaging platform. A Financial Times report had indicated that certain teams within Meta were exploring the idea of displaying ads within WhatsApp conversations, but WhatsApp has stated it is not actively pursuing this concept and has no immediate plans to do so.

WhatsApp, with over 2 billion global users, has long been speculated as a potential avenue for ad revenue for Meta. However, the company has chosen to focus on monetization through WhatsApp Business, which already boasts more than 200 million monthly active users. WhatsApp Business introduced changes to its pricing structure and messaging categories to bolster revenue.

This @FT story is false. We aren't doing this.

Also it looks like you misspelled Brian's name… https://t.co/Z47z9FC5yu

— Will Cathcart (@wcathcart) September 15, 2023

According to Mark Zuckerberg Meta’s “click to Whatsapp” ads have generated $1.5 billion in Q3 of last year with the year-on-year growth rising to 80%. Meta has also been exploring personalized messaging models for merchants.

Meta is expanding its payment services, allowing peer-to-peer and customer-to-merchant payments in several countries. For now the plan seems to be to find ways to integrate payments into the “Channels” broadcasting feature.

Analysts have noted that Meta is taking significant steps toward monetizing WhatsApp’s vast user base. WhatsApp’s user engagement, combined with business-oriented features and advertising opportunities, presents potential avenues for Meta to continue growing its revenue streams.

While WhatsApp has considered ad integration in the past, these plans have been abandoned. For now, WhatsApp’s revenue strategy remains focused on its Business platform and other monetization efforts.