Although messaging apps are typically viewed as tools for personal communication, the reality of business communication in recent years paints a very different picture. Today, WhatsApp processes over 100 billion messages per day, connects more than 3.3 billion users across 180 countries and is building its own business ecosystem with a sophisticated infrastructure for automation, analytics and monetization.
The platform is systematically expanding its toolkit for companies, introducing new formats for engaging with audiences and consistently changing the logic of user identification, making API integration a strategic decision for businesses focused on sustainable growth. In this article, we’ll explore exactly how WhatsApp is evolving and what specific opportunities this opens up for companies today.
Table of Contents
Peak growth
As of early 2026, WhatsApp has 3.3 billion monthly active users and firmly holds the title of the world’s largest messaging app. According to forecasts, its user base is expected to grow by another 200 million by the end of the year. When considering the entire internet, WhatsApp currently ranks third in terms of user numbers, behind Instagram and Facebook. This is particularly significant given that the messaging app remains free for regular users.
Let’s also note another figure that speaks to the quality of the audience: 2.3 billion people open the app daily, which is about 70% of all registered users. The average user spends one hour a day on WhatsApp, which indicates active and engaged attention, suggesting a high probability of messages being read compared to other digital channels. Add to this a notable fact about the audience by device: as of the end of 2025, 95% of messages in the web version of the app are read within 24 hours. In other words, the messenger has long outgrown the format of a purely mobile app and has seamlessly integrated into the workday spent at a laptop.
Platform innovations
As the audience grows, the app’s developers are working on a major overhaul of the product itself. In the fall of 2023, WhatsApp announced the launch of Channels, a publishing tool designed for mass reach and engagement. In its first seven weeks, the feature attracted 500 million monthly active users, setting a record for growth speed among any new platform tool. Meta didn’t stop at the launch and continues to develop the “Updates” section, where Channels, Status and business accounts coexist, turning it into a standalone environment for creating content within the messenger.
Status updates are no longer just “stories for friends.” Meta has introduced ad formats in this section that initiate a conversation with a business with a single tap. Users see a message next to their friends’ updates and are immediately taken to a chat with the company without switching between apps or taking extra steps. This is a completely new engagement format, bearing little resemblance to traditional banner ads. In addition, WhatsApp Business product catalogs are viewed by over 40 million people every month and in several countries, in-app payments are already available, allowing users to complete a transaction directly within the chat.
The most significant innovation of 2026 concerns user identification within the messenger. WhatsApp is gradually introducing a system of user names and by the end of this year, people will be able to communicate with companies without revealing their phone numbers. Instead, a unique Business-Scoped User ID (BSUID) will be used, which is intended to address the privacy concerns associated with sharing personal phone numbers with companies.
When a user selects a name, their phone number is hidden from businesses by default and replaced with a new BSUID.
Businesses that adapt their processes to the new model in advance will maintain uninterrupted communication and gain additional tools for personalization. Those who ignore the changes risk encountering disruptions in automated workflows.
What does the WhatsApp Business API offer?
The WhatsApp Business API is Meta’s official tool for integrating the messaging platform into the business processes of companies of any size. The key difference from the standard WhatsApp Business app is that the API removes restrictions on the volume and automation of communications. A single verified number can handle thousands of conversations simultaneously, supporting multiple agents and automated workflows. The company receives an officially verified account with a blue checkmark, which builds customer trust from the very first message.
The channel’s key advantage is exceptionally high audience engagement. According to industry research, about 98% of recipients read WhatsApp messages, whereas, at best, only one in five opens the average email. Click-through rates on WhatsApp reach 45–60%, which is significantly higher than those of email newsletters, push notifications and most paid advertising formats. At the same time, templated messages allow businesses to initiate a dialogue themselves without waiting for the first contact from a customer, which is crucial for marketing campaigns and high-quality service.
How businesses use WhatsApp
Among the most common use cases for the WhatsApp Business API, transactional and marketing messages are by far the most prevalent. Order confirmations, delivery updates, appointment reminders and personalized promotional offers—all of these reach customers right where they spend most of their day. Unlike email, where a message can sit unread for weeks, a WhatsApp notification is guaranteed to be seen within an hour.
The second most common use case is chatbots and automated support. Through the API, companies build multi-level workflows for lead management, service bookings, handling standard inquiries and answering frequently asked questions. Modern bots based on specialized language models are capable of conducting meaningful conversations and connecting with a live agent only when the task truly goes beyond a standard scenario. Companies that have implemented such solutions report a more than twofold increase in support service efficiency.
Incidentally, WhatsApp is also actively used in the after-sales service phase, for example, for collecting feedback, upselling based on purchase history or cross-selling through personalized offers.
GREEN-API’s unofficial WhatsApp channel
GREEN-API provides access to the WhatsApp API through an unofficial channel, allowing for more flexible use of the platform to address business needs. With GREEN-API, you can:
- Send newsletters containing commercial content. GREEN-API offers greater freedom when sending newsletters with commercial content.
- Automate customer communication. GREEN-API offers a wide range of tools for automating customer communication.
- Integrate WhatsApp with other systems. GREEN-API easily integrates with CRM, ERP and other systems, allowing you to automate business processes and improve customer service.
- Use a wide range of features. GREEN-API provides access to a variety of WhatsApp features, including sending text messages, images, videos, audio, geolocations, contacts, documents, stories, etc.
Conclusion
WhatsApp has come a long way from being a simple alternative to SMS to becoming an ecosystem where businesses sell to, serve and retain customers. Channels, status ads, in-app payments and a system of usernames without phone numbers—each of these innovations pushes the boundaries of what’s possible and forces us to rethink traditional approaches to customer communication. A platform with an audience of over three billion people continues to grow and with it, the value of having a presence through API solutions.
Companies that integrate WhatsApp into their processes today will gain a head start over those who come later. The messenger is changing rapidly and those companies that keep up with these changes will always be one step ahead.
Over the years, GREEN-API has earned a reputation as a partner trusted by dozens of companies around the world. Here, we understand that what matters to a business is not just technology, but also the confidence that there is a team nearby ready to help at every stage. That’s why working with GREEN-API feels like collaborating with a team that is genuinely invested in the success of every client.
At GREEN-API, we keep up with the latest news and will keep you informed about all significant updates. We are constantly working on implementing new features into our service to make your work more convenient. Follow our blog to stay informed about new and useful features in WhatsApp!