Encrypted messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram dominate global communication, serving billions of people every day.
But despite their presence and popularity, their business models remain unsettled as platforms struggle to balance user privacy with the need to generate revenue.
The paradox, analysts say, is that the very feature that makes them most valuable – end-to-end encryption – also makes them hardest to monetise.
End-to-end encryption scrambles messages so that only the sender and recipient can read them, locking out the platform itself.
This protects privacy but prevents operators from scanning content for targeted advertising, the main source of income for most digital platforms.
“While message content would be highly valuable for advertising, end-to-end encryption makes this impossible,” says Michaël Bikard, associate professor of strategy at Insead Business School in Fontainebleau, France.
“Companies have had to look for alternative revenue streams.”
But if these apps cannot find sustainable ways to make money, analysts say users may face fees, new data-sharing trade-offs, or a shift towards “super-app” models that change how people use messaging altogether.
WhatsApp business services
WhatsApp has more than three billion monthly active users globally, Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said during the company’s first-quarter results in May.
It has become the most advanced in monetising its scale, with analysts estimating its business application programming interface, which allows companies to communicate with customers through the app, generating more than $1 billion annually.
“Recent initiatives by WhatsApp, such as ads in its status and updates tabs and the roll-out of paid channel subscriptions, suggest its monetisation strategies are evolving beyond purely business messaging,” Mr Bikard says.
Meta has also introduced payments and commerce features in markets such as India and Brazil.
According to Mr Bikard, these moves position WhatsApp “closer to the super-app model pioneered in Asia”.
However, he noted that Meta draws on WhatsApp metadata, such as contact networks and device information, to enhance advertising across Facebook and Instagram.
This practice has been controversial. In 2021, WhatsApp faced a backlash when it announced changes to its privacy policy requiring greater data sharing with Facebook, leading to millions of users downloading rival apps such as Signal and Telegram.
Signal stays independent
Signal has taken a different approach. The platform is operated by the non-profit Signal Foundation and is funded by donations and grants, according to its official blog.
It does not sell advertising or user data and has described this model as essential to protecting privacy.
The foundation was launched in 2018 with a $50 million loan from WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton, who serves as its executive chairman. Signal has since relied on contributions from supporters to cover operating costs.
While the model keeps the service independent of commercial pressures, industry analysts say it leaves the app dependent on donor support, unlike revenue-generating rivals.
During the 2021 WhatsApp privacy backlash, Signal surged to the top of app store charts, with Sensor Tower reporting more than 17 million downloads in a single week.
But without revenue streams, analysts say it remains constrained in its ability to scale compared with Meta’s resource-rich model for WhatsApp.
Telegram’s uncertain path
Telegram has one billion active monthly users, according to industry tracker DemandSage, and offers Premium subscriptions and sponsored posts.
In 2024, the platform also integrated the TON blockchain to support decentralised payments and introduced Stars, a virtual currency that allows users to purchase digital goods and services in-app.
These features highlight Telegram’s ambition to move beyond chat into commerce and entertainment, though adoption remains limited.
But according to a Reuters analysis, its “route to profitability looks dubious” as the platform remains loss-making despite its scale.
The report said Telegram’s ambition to become a super-app, adding payments and media services alongside messaging, could improve revenue, but that success was far from assured.
Middle East test bed
The Gulf is seen as one of the most promising regions for monetisation, as consumers there have demonstrated their willingness to spend on messaging apps.
Deloitte’s 2025 Digital Consumer Trends survey found that 73 per cent of consumers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia made a purchase through social media in the past year, compared with 52 per cent in the UK.
“The trend confirms the rising power of social commerce, customised marketing patterns, and direct reach out to consumers,” says Emmanuel Durou, partner and technology, media and telecoms leader at Deloitte Middle East.
Mr Bikard says regional dynamics give these platforms a stronger foothold than in western markets.
“The Middle East’s high rate of business adoption and cultural preference for messaging-based interaction create particularly strong revenue potential compared with regions where messaging remains largely personal and social.”
Analysts note that paid services in the region remain in early stages, but rising FinTech use and digital literacy are expected to create more willingness to pay for in-app transactions over the next few years.
Watch: The National's Dana Alomar and Alvin Cabral test Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses
Challenges of privacy
As messaging companies shift to monetisation, the key method has been using more user data – including metadata – which critics say erodes privacy protections.
Meta’s monetisation strategy, for example, has often relied on analysing metadata such as user networks, device information and usage patterns to support its broader advertising business.
This approach has drawn heightened scrutiny amid the company’s history of data controversies.
In 2018, the Cambridge Analytica revelations, first reported by The Guardian, showed that data from tens of millions of Facebook users had been harvested without consent and used for political advertising, sparking global debate over digital privacy and accountability.
The fallout continues to shape how users view Meta’s data practices today.
Privacy advocates argue this undermines the spirit of end-to-end encryption, which protects message content but not surrounding data.
A 2022 study in the International Journal of Computer Trends and Technology found that metadata can expose patterns such as who users talk to, how often and at what times, raising “security and privacy considerations” even when messages remain encrypted.
Civil society groups, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, have also warned that metadata can still be used for profiling.
But Mr Durou suggests payments integration has a “high growth potential” due to increasing FinTech adoption in the Middle East.
Long-term bets
Despite short-term hurdles, experts argue that encrypted messaging platforms should be viewed as long-term bets rather than immediate profit engines.
“Much of the value of these platforms lies not in their current profits but in their promise, as they position themselves as future bottlenecks, or toll booths, in the digital economy,” Mr Bikard says.
He described them as “beachhead businesses: early models that generate income while enabling firms to learn, build trust, and position themselves at the centre of an emerging ecosystem”.
Meta, for instance, has continued to invest heavily in WhatsApp’s payments and commerce tools despite limited short-term returns, while Telegram has poured resources into blockchain-based services.
Analysts say these moves reflect the view that control over messaging ecosystems could unlock much larger revenue streams in the future.
The challenge remains whether WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram can translate that promise into sustainable revenue, without undermining the privacy guarantees that made them indispensable in the first place.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Results
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m; Winner: Ghaiyyath, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Cliffs Of Capri, Tadhg O’Shea, Jamie Osborne.
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Zakouski, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Representing%20UAE%20overseas
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Company%20profile
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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Read more about the coronavirus
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
No%20Windmills%20in%20Basra
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Diaa%20Jubaili%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20180%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPublisher%3A%20Deep%20Vellum%20Publishing%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Vault%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBilal%20Abou-Diab%20and%20Sami%20Abdul%20Hadi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELicensed%20by%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Global%20Market%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EInvestment%20and%20wealth%20advisory%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%241%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOutliers%20VC%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E14%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA
Price, base / as tested Dh150,900 / Dh173,600
Engine 2.0L inline four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 211hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 1,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
