📢 WhatsApp’s New Monetisation Game Begins Now

🌞 Good morning, Masala Crew!

The markets may be dancing between hope and heat, but we’ve got the balance just right in today’s brew — a mix of UPI speed boosts, corporate twists, luxury comebacks, and geopolitical churn that hasn’t shaken the bulls (yet). Whether you're queuing for your morning filter coffee or pacing through your morning commute this one’s got plenty to scroll, sip, and share.

Let’s dive in 👇

☕ Chai Shots

• 🚨 Zoomcar admits major data breach: The car-sharing startup confirmed that personal info of over 8.4 million users — including names, phone numbers, and registration numbers — was compromised in a recent cyberattack. No passwords or financial data were affected, but regulators have been notified and security protocols upgraded.

• 📱 WhatsApp to roll out ads in Updates tab: In a dramatic pivot, Meta will introduce ads and subscriptions to WhatsApp’s Updates tab — but personal chats remain off-limits. The move marks the app’s biggest monetisation shift yet. More in the Big Brew 👇

• 🏥 Online pharmacies under scanner: The government is eyeing tighter controls on 10–60 minute medicine delivery apps after complaints about fake prescriptions and regulatory loopholes. A Covid-era rule allowing doorstep drug delivery may soon be rolled back.

• 🛫 IndiGo denies stake sale rumours: Parent firm InterGlobe shot down speculation about offloading a 4% stake, calling reports baseless. Shares rallied 2%, buoyed by confidence in IndiGo’s growth plans and strong Q4 earnings.

📈 Market Masala

• 📊 Markets jump despite Middle East tensions: The Sensex surged 677 points and the Nifty leapt 228 as easing oil prices, solid earnings, and value buying in IT and energy stocks lifted sentiment. The rally came even as Israel-Iran tensions persisted — with investors betting on containment rather than escalation.

• 💸 UPI just got faster (and smarter): Response times for UPI transactions have been slashed to as low as 10 seconds. Plus, there’s now a cap of 50 balance checks per day to ease network load. Cleaner UI norms, including mandatory display of beneficiary names, also kick in.

• 🎮 Phone brands power up with eSports: Smartphone makers like OnePlus, Realme, and iQOO are teaming up with top gaming teams to pitch their devices to India’s 450M mobile gamers. It’s performance marketing — quite literally.

• 📡 RBI updates rules for interest rate trading: The Reserve Bank has proposed new rules to make it easier — and clearer — for more people (including foreigners) to trade interest rate-related financial products. It also wants to improve how these trades are tracked and reported.

• 🍽️ Fake ‘Jio Eat’ site scams foodies: A fraudulent website impersonating Reliance's brand is conning users by promising ₹500 meals for just ₹99 — but billing them ₹16,000+ via sketchy OTP confirmations. Authorities are investigating as complaints flood social media.

• 🎥 Zee to raise ₹2,237 crore from promoters: Zee’s board has cleared a plan to issue 17 crore convertible warrants to its group companies. This cash boost will help the media giant strengthen its main business and gear up for future expansion.

🌍 Global Masala

• 🌐 Wall Street rebounds on Middle East de-escalation hopes: US stocks snapped back after Iran signaled openness to nuclear talks. Oil prices cooled, easing fears of supply disruptions. The Nasdaq surged 1.5%, led by AI and defense stocks.

• 💬 Trump eyes trade wins in Canada as tariff deadline looms: At the G7 summit, President Trump reiterated his “tariff-first” strategy. With his July 9 "Liberation Day 2.0" deadline approaching, fresh trade deals — or more duties — are on the table.

• 🚢 Global shipping costs soar: The Baltic Dry Index has surged 50% in a month. Exporters now face rising freight and insurance costs, especially if the Strait of Hormuz becomes a flashpoint in the Israel-Iran conflict.

• 👜 Gucci hires Renault boss for a fashion comeback: Kering has tapped auto veteran Luca de Meo to revive its flagship brand. Shares jumped 12% on the move — a bold bet to turn around sagging sales.

🧠 The Big Brew 💬 WhatsApp Is Finally Getting Ads — But Here's Why It's Not What You Think

After nearly a decade of fiercely defending its ad-free reputation, WhatsApp is doing what many predicted — but in its own signature style. Meta has confirmed that ads will soon land on the platform, but only in a tucked-away corner of the app.

Here’s what’s changing — and what’s not:

• 📢 Ads will appear in the Updates tab: That includes Status (WhatsApp’s version of Stories) and Channels. Think of it like seeing Instagram-style sponsored updates between regular content.

• 🔒 Chats are still private: Meta insists your personal messages, groups, calls, and even shared statuses remain end-to-end encrypted and untouched by ad targeting.

• 💰 Subscriptions are coming too: Channels can now charge for exclusive updates — WhatsApp will handle the payments through app stores.

• 🔍 Targeting stays basic: Ads will be based on your general profile — like city, language, and which channels you follow — rather than mining your messages.

• 📊 Meta's bigger game: With WhatsApp's 3B+ users and a growing push into business messaging, this ad rollout is just the beginning. Meta already made over $160B in ad revenue last year — and now it’s turning on the WhatsApp faucet.

What does this mean?

For everyday users who just text friends and family? Probably nothing noticeable. But for small businesses, influencers, and brands, this unlocks a powerful new platform — and for Meta, it’s a long-awaited payday from its $19B acquisition.

🚀 Startup Scoop

• 💸 Aspora raises $50M to serve NRIs: The fintech startup (formerly Vance) is building remittance and banking tools for the Indian diaspora. With a new $50M round led by Sequoia and Greylock, it’s eyeing expansion into the US, Canada, and Singapore — and eventually, everything from insurance to parental care plans.

• 🥤 Nuvie secures ₹3.8 crore in pre-seed round: The healthy snacking startup, backed by names like Mukesh Bansal, is already clocking ₹10 lakh in monthly revenue. Up next? Protein-packed chocolates, “Proffee” (yes, protein + coffee), and a ₹10 crore ARR goal by year-end.

• 📊 InCred buys Stocko to enter retail broking: InCred Money is acquiring discount brokerage Stocko in a ₹300 crore all-cash deal. The move strengthens its push into full-stack investing — from bonds to equities — and sets it up to compete with the likes of Groww and Zerodha.

🧠 Chai Break Trivia

Did you know 🫖: India became the world’s largest recipient of remittances in 2023, pulling in a staggering $118.7 billion — more than any other country. That number is projected to hit $160 billion by 2029!

🔮 What’s Brewing Next?

• 📅 June 19: Fed rate decision day — all eyes on Powell’s tone

• 📣 Zoomcar fallout: Users await official communication post-data breach

🌅 Until tomorrow, Masala Crew...

Markets may be unpredictable, data breaches may spook us, and AI might ban your Instagram — but through it all, we’ll be here with your daily dose of signal, sanity, and sassy summaries.

Stay caffeinated, stay curious.
☕ Team Masala Chai