WhatsApp has announced a major revamp to its Updates tab — the central hub for both Channels and Status — to make it easier for users to explore new content and discover businesses. Serving 1.5 billion users daily, the platform is rolling out three key features designed to help channel owners and businesses reach their audiences more effectively
1. Channel Subscriptions
WhatsApp is introducing paid Channel subscriptions, allowing users to support creators and receive exclusive content behind a paywall. Administrators can now monetize their Channels by offering premium updates directly to paying subscribers
2. Promoted Channels
To boost channel visibility, WhatsApp is unveiling Promoted Channels in its directory. This feature helps users discover relevant channels based on interests, while admins gain a new tool to increase their reach
3. Ads in Status
Business discovery gets streamlined with ads in Status, enabling users to effortlessly engage with new brands or services. Ads appear exclusively in the Updates tab, ensuring personal chats remain free from promotional content
Privacy-Centric Design
True to WhatsApp’s emphasis on privacy, these enhancements are built to protect personal data:
- No access to personal chats: Messages, calls, and private Status updates remain end-to-end encrypted and unaffected.
- Limited targeting: Ads are served based on broad signals such as country, language, followed Channels, and ad interactions. Users who opt into Meta’s Accounts Center may also have preferences considered — but crucially, phone numbers and private chat content are never shared or used
A Clear Separation from Chats
These new features are isolated to the Updates tab, meaning if you use WhatsApp solely for messaging family and friends, your experience remains unchanged. The integrity and privacy of personal conversations are preserved
Why This Matters
By empowering channel admins and businesses with subscriptions, promotions, and advertising, WhatsApp is positioning itself as a business-friendly platform—while still safeguarding user privacy. Admins looking to expand their reach can find more information through WhatsApp’s business resources
In summary, this evolution of the Updates tab brings monetization, discoverability, and advertising together—without jeopardizing the core promise of WhatsApp: secure, private messaging. Whether you’re a creator, consumer, or small business, the new tools offer fresh opportunities to connect and engage within a familiar, trusted environment.
