©Dimitri Karastelev via Unsplash
WhatsApp is getting a new CEO with a clear mission: to generate more revenue from an app that already has over three billion users, without driving them away. To that end, Meta is promoting Indian fintech entrepreneur Kunal Shah, while simultaneously investing $900 million in his company, CRED.
Shah is a well-known name in India’s startup scene, but he's not yet familiar to many WhatsApp users. He got his start with companies such as FreeCharge and later built CRED into a fintech platform that promises to reward people for paying their credit card bills on time. Meta sees him as a “builder” with a broad perspective on products, growth, and user behavior.
Incidentally, the timing of the new CEO’s appointment is no coincidence. WhatsApp has been one of the world’s largest apps for years, but so far has generated less revenue than Meta’s other platforms. As BBC News points out, the service was once a paid one, then became free, and now generates revenue primarily through business services, payment options, and a few ad formats such as promoted channels.
According to experts, Shah is the perfect fit for this next phase. Social media expert Joey Scheufler says it makes sense for Meta to bring in someone from the fintech sector, as such individuals are accustomed to thinking about revenue models and user behavior. As reported by The Times of India, other observers also view his appointment less as a purely “monetization move” and more as a broader choice for someone who can grow consumer products.
Will users flee if they have to pay?
Still, the challenge is significant. WhatsApp needs to start generating revenue, but it cannot afford to disrupt the user experience. Analysts warn that ads in private chats or mandatory payments could quickly drive users to alternatives. That’s why a gradual expansion with additional features is expected rather than a radical change in direction.
There are plenty of possibilities WhatsApp could explore on its path to new revenue streams. More paid services, shopping features, business tools, AI applications, or even a broader financial role, such as bank-like services. Shah already seems to be embracing that direction; after all, he wrote on X that the gap between the current WhatsApp and its full potential is still “enormous.”
©Dimitri Karastelev via Unsplash