WhatsApp is rolling out new ad features including a subscription model that will allow channels to offer exclusive content for a monthly fee.

WhatsApp will instead use the country, city and language of the user, as well as how they interact with other ads and which channels they follow, to drive suggested content. But people who have chosen to link their WhatsApp account to Facebook or Instagram will see more personalised ads.

WhatsApp is set to introduce significant advertising features that allow businesses to reach users while keeping personal chats ad-free. This marks a major shift for the messaging app, which has maintained a largely ad-free experience since 2014.