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Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) surged in pre-market trading on June 16, 2025, driven by a key step in monetizing WhatsApp and investor confidence in its artificial intelligence and advertising strategies. The company's announcement of introducing ads in WhatsApp Status reflects a broader shift towards unlocking revenue from its massive user base. This development comes amid strong market fundamentals and optimistic investor sentiment regarding Meta's strategic direction.
WhatsApp's advertising debut marks a significant shift in revenue
WhatsApp, long known for its ad-free interface, will now start showing ads in its Status section—its version of Instagram Stories—according to an announcement on June 16. Users will begin to see these ads after viewing several status updates targeted based on non-personal data such as location and language preferences. Importantly, Meta emphasizes that users' personal data, such as phone numbers and messages, will not be used.
This move signals an important evolution in WhatsApp's revenue model. With over 1.5 billion people interacting with status and channels daily, Meta now has a substantial surface area for displaying ads and promoting content. Moreover, it enables businesses and creators to monetize their channels through subscriptions, providing yet another new revenue stream supported by app stores.
META shares soar in pre-market as investors respond to strategic progress
Meta's shares rose to $701.87 in pre-market trading (as of 9:22 AM Eastern European Time), which is 2.86% higher than the previous close of $682.87. The increase occurred as investors digested the company's growing commitment to monetizing key platforms like WhatsApp. With a trailing P/E of 26.66 and a market cap of $1.717 trillion, Meta remains one of the strongest players in its sector, showing an annual return of 35.96%.
Investors also continue to welcome Meta's advances in AI and advertising infrastructure, as shown by recent earnings reports. The expansion of WhatsApp advertising complements revenue from click-to-WhatsApp ads and the Business platform, both of which have shown steady growth.
often, here news rains down on readers, one after another !!!
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