Key announcements and roadmap updates for WhatsApp and Instagram Business APIs — onboarding improvements, security best practices, and product innovations for partners in H1 2026.
Meta's vision for business messaging: enabling businesses to easily connect and thrive on Meta's messaging and ad solutions with seamless integration of any tools and partners.
Streamlined onboarding experiences for developers and businesses across WhatsApp and Instagram APIs. Reducing friction at every step of the partner journey.
Removing onboarding restrictions that previously prevented businesses from effectively using messaging APIs and ads products. More flexibility for various use cases.
Future-proofing the architecture to ensure long-term stability and flexibility for partners and businesses at scale.
Key improvements delivered last year to enhance the onboarding experience and simplify partner integrations.
Previously, partners had to maintain different onboarding flows for different products — Cloud API, Click-to-WhatsApp ads, Conversions API — each requiring different security tokens and access permissions.
Now partners can request access to all client assets (WABAs, pages, ad accounts) in a single unified flow with simplified screens and reduced drop-off.
Cloud API, Click-to-WhatsApp, Conversions API — all in one onboarding
Significantly reduced friction and drop-off rates
No more maintaining multiple security tokens per product
New Instagram onboarding flow now supports Conversions API and ads permissions in a single unified flow.
Contact your partner manager to try the new flow today.
New post-onboarding support tool that helps customers complete setup after embedded sign-up.
Cloud API businesses no longer need a Facebook page to run Click-to-WhatsApp ads — a major simplification.
Completely refreshed WhatsApp developer documentation with modern features for easier integration.
Open to feedback — let them know if you see improvement opportunities.
Major platform investments and new capabilities planned for the first half of 2026.
Businesses can onboard to Cloud API using just a WhatsApp phone number — no Facebook account required. This is critical for markets where users primarily have WhatsApp only (many WhatsApp markets don't have Facebook adoption). Contact your partner manager to participate in the beta.
Major restructuring of the Business Portfolio → WABA → Phone Number hierarchy. Phone numbers will be separated from WABAs, making it easier to share one phone number across multiple partners and products. You'll be able to use the same number with different partners, Inbox, and other first-party services. This aligns with the rest of Meta's account model.
New solution for mid-to-large businesses with employees using personal WhatsApp to communicate with customers. Enables businesses to: onboard employees to WhatsApp, manage all conversations centrally, maintain brand consistency, gather engagement insights, and retain customer relationships when employees leave (no more losing relationships when staff departs).
Voice API (launched last year on Cloud API) will be extended to support Coexistence customers — businesses using both WhatsApp SMB app and Cloud API simultaneously. The SMB app has features Cloud API doesn't yet support, and calling is one of them.
New AI-powered system for partners to quickly resolve client issues. Today, tech providers and BSPs can file support tickets on behalf of clients — this system will get you answers faster about account problems, messaging failures ("Why can't we send messages?"), and other support queries.
Reach out to your Meta partner manager to get early access to WhatsApp Login Beta and stay informed about the account model changes.
How verification works when onboarding businesses, and how partners can help speed up the process.
The fastest mechanism to get new businesses verified during onboarding through your platform.
Partner-led verification and direct onboarding capabilities are being tested and rolled out.
The Trust & Integrity team works to prevent scams, spam, and scripted account abuse on WhatsApp. Here are the most common threats partners should be aware of.
Scammers send innocent-looking messages to start a relationship with victims:
Goal: Build trust, then move victims to other platforms (like Telegram) to extract money.
Most commonly appears as shipping/delivery scams:
Goal: Get victims to click malicious links or make payments.
Protect your business and maintain platform access by following these guidelines. Scripted attackers can exploit weak onboarding — leading to enforcement actions on your legitimate clients.
In case of a scam attack, having a fast communication channel with your SPM helps prevent enforcement actions on your legitimate clients. Reach out immediately if you see something suspicious — "Hey, something suspicious is going on" — and Meta can respond faster to protect the ecosystem.
Next-generation marketing on Cloud API with performance-enhancing features to help businesses deliver the right message to the right customer.
Next generation of marketing on Cloud API with exclusive performance-enhancing features.
Transactional and service-related communications that customers expect.
Secure verification flows for user authentication.
WhatsApp and Messenger have become how people connect with friends, family — and increasingly, businesses they care about.
From setting up test drive appointments to going back and forth with sales agents, messaging enables that "secret sauce" of personal one-on-one service at scale. Marketing Messages helps businesses achieve this.
WhatsApp & Messenger are used daily to connect with people who matter
Appointments, sales inquiries, customer support — all in one place
Deliver personalized experiences to thousands of customers
In 2025, Meta unified all business messaging partners under one program umbrella — covering WhatsApp, Instagram, Click-to-WhatsApp, and Click-to-Instagram for all partner types.
Highest tier with full access to all financial and non-financial benefits including maximum MDF funding and incentives.
Mid-tier with access to MDF, Hypo program, and growth rewards. Good balance of requirements and benefits.
Entry tier with access to non-financial benefits (certifications, training, resources). Can grow to Select and Premier.
Up to $200,000 available for Premier and Select partners.
Funding to unblock client opportunities when specific requirements are needed.
Rewards for growing customers in the ecosystem.
Free certification vouchers for partner employees.
Comprehensive sales and technical resources.
Reduced from 4 tiers (Platinum, Release, Select, Registered) to just 3 tiers (Premier, Select, Registered).
Higher deal size thresholds with increased benefits to match.
Client adoption bond reduced from 5 tiers to 3 tiers for easier tracking.
Now includes partner-led verification and CTX optimization.
1. Go to your partner portal and accept all terms | 2. Submit your MDF plan by March 31 | 3. Approve market materials and start executing
No more juggling multiple flows. Partners can now onboard all products and permissions in a single embedded sign-up experience.
Page-less ads (shipped) and upcoming WhatsApp-only login remove barriers for markets where Facebook adoption is low.
The new phone number separation from WABAs will enable multi-partner and multi-product deployments on single numbers.
Authorized Agents addresses a major gap for enterprises managing employee-customer communications at scale.
Partners must implement verification throttling, rate limiting, and hygiene monitoring to prevent scam exploitation.
Up to 9% higher delivery rates with automatic creative optimization — and it's only getting better.
One program for all partners (Tech, CTX, Solution, BSPs) with simplified 3-tier structure and up to $200K MDF funding.
Blueprint certifications with free vouchers for technical and sales agent tracks — use badges in your go-to-market.
Key things to follow up on with your Meta partner manager:
