The WordPress ecosystem saw another eventful month in March 2025, marked by strategic acquisitions, core feature advancements, and vital security updates. From Automattic’s move toward the Fediverse to MonetizeMore’s acquisition of a leading ad plugin, March delivered a mix of innovation and transformation. Meanwhile, plugin vulnerabilities and evolving industry trends kept developers and agencies on high alert.
Welcome to the March 2025 WordPress Edition of WPEdition—your trusted roundup of everything from investments and plugin updates to standout tools, agencies, and hosting providers.
Let’s dive into the month’s most important highlights for creators, developers, and WordPress enthusiasts.
Mergers, Acquisitions, Investments
MonetizeMore acquires Advanced Ads
MonetizeMore acquired the Advanced Ads plugin on March 19, 2025. This strategic move helps MonetizeMore expand its ad optimization capabilities and integrate more seamlessly into the WordPress advertising space.
Automattic buys ActivityPub for WordPress
Automattic (parent company of WordPress.com) acquired the ActivityPub for WordPress plugin on March 13, 2025. This acquisition brings WordPress blogs into the Fediverse, allowing users to connect directly with platforms like Mastodon.
WordPress Core Updates
WordPress 6.8 Beta 1 released
WordPress 6.8 Beta 1 was released on March 4, 2025. This marks the start of the final development phase before its planned April 15 release. Community contributors are encouraged to take on Core Tech Lead and Documentation Lead roles.
What’s new in WordPress 6.8
This version incorporates updates from Gutenberg versions up to 20.4. Notable features include per-block design tools, block type registration, speculative loading, useSelect performance improvements, and bcrypt password hashing.
Other WordPress News
WP Engine regains ACF plugin control
WP Engine regained full access to the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin repository after a legal dispute. A court ruling ordered Automattic to restore access within 72 hours
New Learn WordPress course released
The WordPress Training Team released a new course—Beginner WordPress Designer—on March 24, 2025. It’s designed to help new users build professional websites without prior experience.
Plugin Check Roadmap: Phase 2
The Plugin Review Team revealed the Phase 2 Plugin Check Roadmap, which aims to support existing plugin updates, improve UI/UX, and expand rule sets to ensure plugin compliance.
Security Alerts & Plugin Vulnerabilities
Major plugin vulnerabilities flagged
- WooCommerce ≤ 9.7.0 had an XSS vulnerability reported by Sucuri.
- Newscrunch theme was found vulnerable to critical file uploads.
Patchstack reports critical flaws
Patchstack disclosed several high-risk vulnerabilities:
- SQL Injection in Automatic Plugin
- Arbitrary file upload in Elementor Addons
- Remote Code Execution in Bricks Theme
- PHP Object Injection in GiveWP
Wordfence vulnerability report
According to Wordfence Intelligence, 111 vulnerabilities were discovered across 94 plugins and 5 themes between March 17 and 23, 2025.
Industry Trends & Insights
- The web industry is shifting toward headless CMS solutions for performance and omnichannel publishing.
- AI tools are transforming content and SEO strategies, with increased interest in human-AI collaboration systems for content quality.
- The global website builder market is expected to reach $3.8 billion by 2027, largely driven by demand for no-code tools.
Theme of the Month
Theme: Astra
Why? With over 2 million installs, Astra continues to lead in performance and design flexibility. The 4.6 update includes improvements to the header/footer builder and compatibility with Full Site Editing.
Plugin of the Month
Plugin: Plugin Check
Why? Developed by the WordPress Plugin Review Team, Plugin Check automates compliance checks. Its Phase 2 roadmap expands the tool to existing plugin updates and introduces advanced features for developers.
Agency of the Month
Agency: Seahawk Media
Why? Seahawk Media expanded its footprint in March and relaunched its SiteCare program. Known for white-label WordPress services, the agency supports over 1,000 clients and partners with GoDaddy and Hostinger.
Host of the Month
Host: InMotion Hosting
Why? On March 16, 2025, InMotion acquired RamNode, enhancing its cloud and VPS capabilities and strengthening its WordPress hosting infrastructure.
Founder of the Month
Founder: Katie Keith
Why? CEO of Barn2 Plugins, Katie Keith has built a WooCommerce plugin empire featuring tools like Protected Categories and Document Library Pro.
Looking Ahead to April 2025
- WordPress 6.8 “Cecil” will launch on April 15, 2025, and it will include major editor, performance, and accessibility improvements.
- WordCamp Vienna 2025 and WordCamp Malaga 2025 will host in-person community gatherings on April 25–27.