WhatsApp is testing ads in Status and paid channel subscriptions, all inside the Updates tab. Private messages remain encrypted and ad-free.

WhatsApp is rolling out ads. In an update on Monday, Meta announced that it will now show ads from businesses through its Stories-like status feature.

After years of providing free services without any bells attached, WhatsApp is now going to start showing ads on the popular chat app. To be clear, users will only see ads on the Status screen — the app’s take on Instagram’s Stories.

While the app has long promised a privacy-first experience free from traditional ads, recent updates suggest that's changing, and changing fast.In a blog post published Monday, WhatsApp announced an expansion of its "Channels" discovery and business tools,

For now, the ads will only appear on WhatsApp's Updates tab, where users can update their status and access channels or groups targeting specific interests they may want to follow. In its announcement of the ads, parent company Meta claimed that placing ads under Updates means that the ads won’t “interrupt personal chats.”

Meta Platforms (META) shares climbed Monday as the social media giant said it’s introducing paid advertising to WhatsApp, in a move that could expand its revenue streams. Shares were up over 2.5%, above $700,