Since it launched in 2009, WhatsApp has been one of the few major social media services that never had advertisements. It seemed impossible that it would ever include them, as it grew from 450 million monthly active users in 2014 to over 2 billion users today. That streak is ending. On Wednesday, WhatsApp introduced advertisements to its platform for the first time. Users will see these ads when they scroll through Status — a feature where users share pictures, videos, and text updates that disappear after 24 hours — as well as other features in the “Updates” tab. The update isn’t immediate — ads will slowly roll out to more users over time.

Facebook’s parent company, Meta, says the new feature is designed to keep them out of personal conversations. “This was a deliberate decision. We didn’t want ads to interrupt personal conversations, because we wanted to keep it focused on people,” said Newton Rex, vice president of product at WhatsApp.

That doesn’t seem like a valid argument. However, Meta says over 1.5 billion people visit the Updates tab every day. And it’s the one where it’s still possible to reach those people. If all you use WhatsApp for is chat, you might never see an ad. For others who frequently check out the Updates tab, it could be a different story.

The first set of ads will be seen in Status. When users scroll through pictures, videos, and text updates shared by friends and friends of friends, they may now see promotional content from companies. Users can tap on these to start a conversation with the business. Unlike traditional status updates, the content will be from brands, but otherwise, they’ll look and function like regular statuses.

The second type of ads are promoted Channels. They let admin pay to get more visibility and have their content reach more users. For businesses and creators, it’s a way to build an audience within WhatsApp — something that wasn’t possible before.

The third type of ad Meta is testing are a subscription feature for Channels. Businesses can charge users a monthly fee in exchange for exclusive content. For example, a cooking channel may charge users a monthly fee to send subscriber-only recipes and updates. It’s a new revenue stream for WhatsApp and a monetization tool for brands and creators.

What about privacy? Well, that’s what people are concerned about. WhatsApp built its reputation on being a private, secure platform. Meta says it’s taking a cautious approach. the country code, device language, age bracket, and city. Additionally, WhatsApp will look at user behavior around Channels and Status updates to determine which ads to show. It’s things like what content people follow, how they interact with content, and which ads they click on.

Importantly, all personal messages will remain end-to-end encrypted. Meta says it won’t be able to read your messages and use them to target ads. If you use other Meta services like Instagram or Facebook, there’s an optional feature called Accounts Center. If you connect WhatsApp to this, Meta can use cross-platform data to personalize your ad experience. This feature is turned off by default and can be deleted anytime.

WhatsApp will give users transparency tools to understand and control their ad experience. You’ll be able to see why a specific ad was shown, block specific advertisers, or report an ad you find offensive. Meta is making it as user-friendly — and as optional — as possible.

The impetus behind this move is bigger than just a single platform. WhatsApp is a 2 billion-user company, and it’s not making a meaningful contribution to Meta’s enormous advertising machine. Most of WhatsApp’s revenue today comes from its Business Platform, a paid service that lets businesses talk to customers, and from “click-to-WhatsApp” ads on Facebook and Instagram. That’s changing. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has publicly said that WhatsApp’s Business Platform is a growing revenue stream. Now, by adding ads directly inside WhatsApp, Meta is looking to do more.

“For us, it felt like the next natural evolution,” Newton Rex said. Businesses have been asking for more ways to connect with users directly inside the app — and this new ad system is Meta’s answer. Social apps like Reddit and Discord are also introducing new advertising models. Social platforms that make promises around privacy are finding new ways to show ads without alienating their audiences.

Meta acquired WhatsApp for $16 billion in 2014. For years, the app has been largely untouched by Meta’s advertising machine. But the ad business is more important than ever — Meta generates about 98 percent of its revenue from ads. So WhatsApp was always going to be next. This is the start of a new era for the platform.

For users, the change might go unnoticed — especially if they don’t use the Updates tab. But for WhatsApp and Meta, it’s a big deal. One that reflects both the current economic climate and the pressure to grow from investors.

Ads on WhatsApp aren’t hypothetical anymore. They’re real and here. The experience has mostly stayed the same for now. But with Meta at the wheel, this is only the beginning of WhatsApp’s transformation into a full-scale commercial platform.