Mark Zuckerberg Reveals WhatsApp Boasts 100 Million Active Monthly Users in the U.S.

During a recent announcement on his personal channel, Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, revealed that WhatsApp now boasts over 100 million monthly active users in the United States, emphasizing the app’s growing popularity in a nation where SMS/text messaging has traditionally been dominant.

This disclosure marks the first instance of WhatsApp sharing specifics regarding its user base within the U.S. Furthermore, the service pointed out that more than half of its American users are on iPhones, aligning with the prevalent use of iOS devices in the country.

Globally, WhatsApp is a leading messaging application, commanding a user base of over 2 billion active users each month. Historically, the platform has concentrated its efforts on regions such as India — WhatsApp’s largest market, sporting over 500 million monthly active users — alongside other key markets like Brazil and Indonesia.

In an effort to bolster its presence in the United States, WhatsApp has intensified its advertising efforts in recent years including prominent advertisements in Times Square, and television commercials that underscore its commitment to privacy and the security of end-to-end encryption. The brand’s latest promotional venture revives some beloved characters from “Modern Family” in a nationwide campaign.

Echoing Google’s approach, Meta has made significant efforts to distinguish the user experience on iOS and Android platforms, following the discrepancy in message bubbles initiated by Apple’s iMessage. With Apple’s recent embrace of Rich Messaging Service (RCS), Android users now enjoy enhanced messaging features such as the ability to send high-quality multimedia, along with read receipts and typing indicators—although messages continue to display in green bubbles, as per Apple’s depiction on its website.

Despite these enhancements, Meta continues to promote WhatsApp’s cross-platform capabilities by spotlighting features unique to its app, including polls, superior video call quality, and reaction options. To cap off its recent series of announcements, Meta has initiated an audacious marketing stunt by installing a massive 200-foot bubble installation at The Americana Mall in Los Angeles, strategically positioned between the Apple and Samsung storefronts.