WhatsApp is key to Meta’s global reach and brand engagement

The news: Amid its ongoing FTC antitrust trial, there’s been much talk of the importance of Instagram to Meta’s bottom line. But Meta faces the possibility of being forced to divest from WhatsApp as well—an acquisition originally cleared in 2014 but now under renewed scrutiny.

Losing WhatsApp would have major consequences for the social media giant that go beyond messaging: Its loss could erode Meta’s position in conversational commerce, support automation, and even international growth.

WhatsApp’s value: The messaging service may not be as flashy as Reels or have the revenue scale of Facebook ads, but it's quietly become one of Meta’s most indispensable assets—especially for communication and customer service.

Despite US WhatsApp penetration hovering around 20% of the population through 2028, per our forecast, the platform boasts deep loyalty among key consumer segments:

• Penetration peaks at 36.1% among US adults ages 35–44, with strong numbers across other working-age groups.
• Consumers under 45 are especially likely to use messaging apps like WhatsApp for customer service interactions, rivaling traditional phone and email.
• In the UK, bank customers ranked messaging apps like WhatsApp above mobile app notifications for fraud alerts, ID verification, and overdue payment notices, highlighting how WhatsApp has become a trusted B2C channel in the heavily regulated finance industry.
• Gen Z in particular ranks messaging (including WhatsApp) as one of the top five channels for urgent brand communication—more than social media or web chat.
• 37% of US adults said they feel most connected to online communities through WhatsApp—on par with Substack and ahead of YouTube or Facebook. That emotional connection raises the stakes even further.

Our take: WhatsApp is the messaging layer for digitally native consumers and a rising player in brand-consumer interactions. If Meta is forced to divest, it has profound implications for how consumers interact with brands—and each other—in the US and beyond.