That figure, confirmed by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg during the company’s first-quarter earnings call, puts the messaging app in a league of its own, alongside Facebook.

This shows how deeply WhatsApp has embedded itself in people’s lives across continents. The app, which Facebook bought for $19 billion in 2014, has grown without ads, subscription fees, or flashy features. It’s stayed simple, and that’s worked.

For Meta, however, WhatsApp has gone beyond a messaging tool, it’s now a pillar in a much bigger business play. The company is using it to quietly roll out more commercial services, particularly around AI and business messaging. CFO Susan Li said: “WhatsApp continues to see the strongest Meta AI usage across our family of apps.”

This isn’t about fun stickers or chat groups. Meta has been embedding AI tools into WhatsApp to create an intelligent front door for businesses and users. Most of the AI engagement still happens in private one-on-one chats, but the volume and potential are enormous.

And while WhatsApp tops outside the U.S., things are different at home. Americans still stick with SMS or iMessage. Zuckerberg knows this. That’s why Meta launched a standalone Meta AI app focused on the U.S. market. 

“We hope to become the leader over time [in the U.S. messaging market], but we’re in a different position there than we are in most of the rest of the world on WhatsApp,” he said. “So I think that the Meta AI app as a standalone is going to be particularly important in the United States to establish leadership.”

In business, Meta reported that its family of apps generated $510 million in business-related revenue, with WhatsApp Business playing a central role. That product is expanding in both reach and intelligence. 

The company is testing tools that let businesses train Meta’s AI using their website content, Instagram and Facebook profiles, or even their WhatsApp business page. It’s also trying out AI chatbots to handle customer messages.

Meta is laying the foundation for something bigger: a platform where businesses interact with customers at scale, powered by AI and driven through WhatsApp. If that sounds familiar, it’s because that model has worked before — in China, with WeChat.

The bigger context? Meta’s apps are pulling in 3.43 billion daily active users across the board, that’s Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Threads combined. Ads are still the bigger results: Meta delivered more of them this quarter, and at a higher price. Total revenue hit $42.31 billion, up 16% from last year.

WhatsApp has become one of the most important pipes in the system, a direct link to billions of users, and a space the company is steadily turning into a business and AI giant.

The current numbers were disclosed by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings report. Threads has attracted more users even with strong competition from platforms such as X, Bluesky, and Mastodon. 

Zuckerberg also noted that the app is seeing over 1 million new sign-ups daily.

Meta has been actively enhancing Threads with new features to keep users engaged. Recent updates include the ability to schedule posts and view post impressions. Added to these, the company appears to be testing advertising opportunities on the platform, particularly in the U.S. and Japan, as it explores monetisation strategies.

Susan Li, Meta’s chief financial officer, spoke on the ongoing improvements to the app’s recommendation system. She explained that the updates are designed to “prioritize more recent posts, surface content from top creators, and ensure people see more of the content from accounts they follow.” The company is also refining its custom feed options, allowing users to personalise their content experience further.

Meanwhile, rival platforms are seeing mixed results. Bluesky, which grew significantly in November, added less than 10% more users in December, bringing its total to 26.44 million. This shows that while Threads is gaining acceleration, some competitors are struggling to maintain their initial growth.

With Meta’s continued investment in Threads and a focus on user engagement, the platform is ensuring a strong alternative to X and other microblogging apps. Zuckerberg previously stated that Threads could reach 1 billion users in the coming years.

Launched in mid-2023, Threads was initially built as a direct competitor to X (formerly known as Twitter), aiming to capture users from X when changes occurred under the ownership of Elon Musk. 

Despite rapid growth and reaching 275 million monthly active users, Meta’s initial priority with Threads has been focused on user experience rather than immediate monetisation.

Starting next year, however, Meta plans to experiment with ads by allowing a limited group of advertisers to post on Threads. This pilot phase is reportedly being led by Instagram’s advertising team, which will manage the introduction of ads in a controlled environment. 

According to company CFO Susan Li, the app is not expected to contribute significantly to Meta’s revenue in 2025, emphasising that the immediate goal is not profitability but enhancing user value. 

Li noted that additional features will also be added to the platform over time, potentially increasing its viability as an advertising channel in the future.

Threads’ advertising initiative comes at a time when X has been dealing with complex advertiser relationships.

Under Musk’s leadership, X has faced some changes in content policies that prompted several brands to reconsider their ad spending, pointing to brand safety. 

As a result, some companies have pulled back their ad investments, and Musk’s company recently filed a lawsuit against major corporations, including Mars and CVS Health, accusing them of a coordinated ad boycott that contributed to a revenue decline.

Meta’s gradual approach with Threads may position the platform as a safer alternative for advertisers seeking a more controlled environment for their brand messages. 

The platform may offer advertisers an attractive option later on, as the social media space continues to evolve.

Adam Mosseri, the head of Threads and Instagram, recently highlighted the app’s success in gaining user traction, noting its growth from 150 million to 275 million active users within months. 

Meta has a long-term goal to establish Threads as a top platform in the social media space, though monetisation will remain secondary to building user engagement in the near term.