WhatsApp announces it will charge business customers from now onwards

Cross-platform messaging application WhatsApp has now announced to charge business customers for some of the services it offers.

According to a statement issued by WhatsApp, the app has taken the decision to "charge business customers for some of the services" to continue building a business of their own as the company plans to provide and expand free end-to-end encrypted text, video, and voice calling for more than two billion people.

"We’ve provided the WhatsApp Business app and WhatsApp Business API to help businesses of all sizes manage their chats. We’ve listened to feedback on what’s worked and believe WhatsApp can help make messaging the best way for consumers and businesses to connect," read the official document.

Highlighting that the global pandemic has made clear that businesses need fast and efficient ways to service the social media users and make sales, WhatsApp said that over 175 million people every day message a WhatsApp Business account.

The additional experiences on WhatsApp will meet a real need for many people and businesses whether they are around the corner or across the world, the company said.

"We know that most people will continue to use WhatsApp simply to communicate with friends and family, which is why we will keep developing great new features and protect people’s private conversations."