WhatsApp has surpassed 3 billion monthly users, becoming a key platform for Meta’s AI services. While adoption is strong in global markets, Meta is pushing its standalone Meta AI app in the U.S. Meanwhile, Whatsapp Business drives significant revenue growth.
During Meta’s Q1 earnings call on Wednesday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that WhatsApp now boasts over 3 billion monthly active users. Originally launched in 2009 and acquired by Facebook (now Meta) for $19 billion in 2014, the messaging app remains ad-free and free to use. After hitting 2 billion users in 2020, WhatsApp has now joined an elite group of platforms—alongside Facebook itself—to surpass the 3 billion mark.
As reported by TechCrunch, This massive user base solidifies WhatsApp as a critical asset for Meta, particularly as the company doubles down on AI. Meta has previously highlighted WhatsApp as a major channel for distributing its AI-powered services.
Meta’s CFO, Susan Li, noted during the call that WhatsApp drives the highest engagement with Meta AI across the company’s app ecosystem, with most interactions happening in one-on-one chats.
However, Zuckerberg acknowledged that Meta faces different challenges in markets like the U.S., where native messaging apps dominate. To boost AI adoption there, the company is pushing its standalone Meta AI app, aiming to establish itself as the go-to personal AI assistant.
Meanwhile, WhatsApp’s business platform, WhatsApp Business, continues to expand, contributing significantly to the $510 million revenue generated by Meta’s suite of apps.