• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Despite his $200 million success, Matthew McConaughey spent a weekend in the desert reading 20 years of bad reviews—he says some of them had ‘a point’

3

Meet billionaire Clara Wu Tsai, who built the Liberty into a $600 million team and now plans to fund guaranteed income for new moms

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Despite his $200 million success, Matthew McConaughey spent a weekend in the desert reading 20 years of bad reviews—he says some of them had ‘a point’

3

Meet billionaire Clara Wu Tsai, who built the Liberty into a $600 million team and now plans to fund guaranteed income for new moms
Whatsapp

WhatsApp Will Show Ads via Its Status Feature, Monetizing the Free Service

By
Renae Reints
Renae Reints
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Renae Reints
Renae Reints
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 1, 2018, 12:18 PM ET
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

WhatsApp will begin featuring ads through its Status feature in order to monetize the Facebook subsidiary, reports The Economic Times.

The messaging app’s Status feature allows users to share photos, text, and videos that automatically erase after 24 hours, similar to Snapchat and Instagram stories. Like these other platforms, WhatsApp will insert ads between your friends’ posts.

“That is going to be primary monetization mode for the company as well as an opportunity for businesses to reach people on WhatsApp,” Vice President Chris Daniels said Wednesday at an event in New Delhi, according to The Economic Times.

No timeline was given, but a report from this summer said ads would begin sometime in 2019.

Facebook has been pushing WhatsApp to monetize since buying the app for $19 billion in 2014. The messaging service, which offers end-to-end encryption for 1.5 billion users worldwide, once flirted with subscription fees, but dropped this idea in 2016.

At the time, WhatsApp also said it would remain ad-free, but this sentiment was primarily pushed by the app’s co-founders, who each left Facebook, Inc. within the past two years.

About the Author
By Renae Reints
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Recommended For You

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.