Looks like Mark Zuckerberg is about ready to start recouping some of that $22 billion he spent buying WhatsApp back in 2014.

The messaging app will reportedly start introducing adverts in the ‘Status’ tab that will be viewable, presumably, to the over 1.5 billion people that use it.

Chris Daniels, a VP at the company confirmed to Outlook India that this will be WhatsApp’s future source of cash.

‘We are going to be putting ads in ‘Status’,’ Daniels said.


It was always going to happen folks (Image: Getty)

‘That is going to be primary monetisation mode for the company as well as an opportunity for businesses to reach people on WhatsApp.’



To be fair, this move isn’t exactly coming out of nowhere. Ever since Facebook acquired WhatsApp there have been whisperings that monetisation would follow. The Wall Street Journal appeared to hit the nail on the head in August when it said over 100 companies were planning to start advertising on the app, starting in 2019.

At least the adverts aren’t going to be dumped right in the middle of your chats.

The Status tab is effectively a version of Snapchat’s Stories where users can post videos, images or GIFs that disappear after 24 hours.

Facebook says that 450 million of WhatsApp’s user base are currently using the Status page.

Mark Zuckerberg bought Whatsapp for $22 billion (Getty)

According to the WSJ’s report, WhatsApp will charge companies between $0.005 and $0.09 per potential customer reached. Netflix is allegedly one of the companies that are interested.

Given the sheer scale of WhatsApp these days, we can see this move lining Mr Zuckerberg’s pockets considerably over the next few years.