Meta has introduced new monetisation tools on WhatsApp to help creators, businesses, and organisations broaden their reach and earn income through the app’s Updates tab. In a statement on Monday, the tech company unveiled three major features: Channel Subscriptions, Promoted Channels, and Adverts in Status. These additions are part of WhatsApp’s broader strategy to support commercial use of the platform without disrupting users' private messaging. “For years, we've been exploring ways to support business activity on WhatsApp without interrupting personal conversations. We believe the Updates tab is the ideal space for this,” Meta noted. With Channel Subscriptions, users can now pay a monthly fee to access exclusive content from preferred channels, including media outlets, creators, and sports teams. Promoted Channels will allow WhatsApp to suggest channels to users based on their interests, giving creators and businesses a paid option to increase visibility and attract followers. Adverts in Status will enable businesses to display targeted ads within the status section—similar to Instagram Stories—allowing users to discover and connect with brands directly. Meta emphasized that the new features preserve user privacy, maintaining end-to-end encryption for all personal chats, calls, and group conversations. “To deliver relevant ads in status or recommended channels, we’ll use limited data such as your location, language, followed channels, and engagement with ads,” the company explained. “For users who link WhatsApp to Meta’s Accounts Centre, we may also use ad preferences and data from their other Meta platforms—but we will never sell or share phone numbers with advertisers.” Meta added that the features will be introduced gradually in the coming months. Channel admins and businesses can already access more details via official WhatsApp Business channels.