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Facebook announced back in 2012 that it had reached 1 billion active users 鈥� and now Facebook鈥檚 subsidiary WhatsApp is poised to reach the same milestone.

WhatsApp cofounder Jan Koum announced in a Facebook post that the messaging service now has 900 million monthly active users, up from 700 million in January 2015.

Facebook purchased WhatsApp for $19 billion last year, when WhatsApp had about half as many users as it does today. At the time, Facebook chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a press release that 鈥淲hatsApp is on a path to connect 1 billion people. The services that reach that milestone are all incredibly valuable.鈥� The deal was one of Silicon Valley鈥檚 biggest acquisitions ever, which was why business analysts found it a little strange that WhatsApp didn鈥檛 really have a business model.

For a time, WhatsApp charged users $1 per year for the service, with the first year free, but the company dropped that model after Facebook acquired it. Both Mr. Koum and Mr. Zuckerberg have said that WhatsApp won鈥檛 carry advertising. The app itself doesn鈥檛 collect user data the way Facebook does (WhatsApp doesn鈥檛 log name, gender, or age, and it deletes messages from its servers once they鈥檙e delivered) so the company can鈥檛 get a kickback from advertisers for selling information about its subscribers.

During an earnings call in February 2014, Zuckerberg explained that once WhatsApp reaches a billion or more users, 鈥渢here are many clear ways that we can monetize.鈥� During the same call Koum said that 鈥渨e鈥檙e not really concerned about monetization today,鈥� noting that the company was focused exclusively on growth.

WhatsApp鈥檚 business model may come to resemble that of Facebook鈥檚 own Messenger service, which doesn鈥檛 carry ads but is aimed at connecting consumers with brands as well as with each other. Facebook鈥檚 new 鈥淢鈥� concierge application also connects users with commercial services such as buying items, delivering gifts, booking appointments, and making travel arrangements. WhatsApp could eventually be rolled into that ecosystem, extending the reach of Facebook鈥檚 other brand-centered services.

WhatsApp might also revert back to a subscription model. $1 per year isn鈥檛 much, but it adds up to significant cash if the service has a billion or more users. The company might also add features to resemble other messaging apps, particularly those in Asia, that act as full-blown consumer ecosystems by letting users transfer money, order food, and even hail taxis. WhatsApp has already added new features to its core text-messaging service, including free voice calls in the vein of Skype.