Meta has announced an evolution in the way people will be able to interact with businesses through WhatsApp. This change will allow users to communicate using a username, without needing to publicly share their phone number.
Below, we tell you what is known so far about this update and how it could impact your business operations.
📢 What is changing in WhatsApp?
Currently, conversations between users and businesses on WhatsApp are identified by a phone number. However, Meta has announced that in future updates users will be able to choose between:
Sharing their phone number.
Using a username as a method of identification.
Keeping their number private when interacting with businesses.
When this functionality is implemented by Meta, platforms that integrate with WhatsApp will need to adapt to process new user identifiers that won't necessarily be associated with a visible phone number.
📱 How will WhatsApp identify users?
Meta has announced a new privacy feature for WhatsApp that will allow people to choose how they want to interact with businesses. When this feature is available, a customer will be able to:
Share their phone number publicly.
Hide their phone number and use a username configured in their profile.
In these cases, WhatsApp will be able to provide alternative identifiers to represent users without exposing their phone number. Atom is evaluating and preparing the necessary compatibility to adapt to this new identification model as Meta releases more details about its implementation.
🗓️ Meta's Official Timeline: Launch of BSUID and Usernames on WhatsApp
The shift toward WhatsApp's new privacy model and the introduction of usernames is being deployed on two strategic fronts:
on one hand, the technical infrastructure (API) and the BSUID identifier; and on the other, the reservation and gradual activation of these usernames by country.
Below, we detail the key dates so your operations are 100% prepared.
⚙️ 1. BSUID Infrastructure and API Update
It is important to clarify that there is no global "shutdown" date for phone numbers. A customer's number will only stop being visible individually when they choose to activate their username of their own accord (opt-in function).
The key dates at the technical level are:
March 31, 2026: Business identifiers (BSUID) are already available and operational on the platform.
May 2026: The WhatsApp API officially supports sending and receiving messages using the BSUID code.
Late August 2026: Widespread adoption of usernames by end users worldwide is projected.
🛡️ 2. Username Reservation and Activation
Secure your digital identity! Username reservation opens on June 29, 2026 globally. From this date forward, any business in the world can reserve its preferred username.
💡 Recommendation: Early reservation is crucial to protect your brand name before the feature is activated for the general public.
The final activation (the moment when the username becomes usable in the application) will be enabled by strategic waves:
Activation Calendar by Waves
Launch Phase | Activation Date | Countries Included |
Wave 1 | July 7, 2026 | Algeria, Azerbaijan, Ghana, Libya, Nepal |
Wave 2 | July 20, 2026 | Colombia, Singapore, Peru, Malaysia, Dominican Republic |
Global Availability | Late August 2026 | Rest of the countries |
⚙️ How will it look in your daily operations?
The customer service experience will seek to remain as consistent as possible, regardless of the privacy setting chosen by the user. Here are some expected scenarios:
Contacts with public number: If the customer decides to share their phone number, the conversation will continue to appear similar to how it currently works.
Contacts with hidden number: If the customer uses a username and keeps their phone number hidden, the platform will be able to display the information that WhatsApp provides as the available identifier for that contact.
Recurring contacts (Previous history): If you already have the phone saved from conversations before the user's privacy change, you don't lose it. WhatsApp will allow you to continue using that number in the history.
⚠️ Key Consideration for Integrations:
If your business uses custom reports, CRMs, or external integrations (via API/Webhooks) that depend exclusively on reading a numeric phone number to function, those external systems may require technical adjustments to support alphanumeric identifiers.
🛠️ How does Atom process these alternative identifiers?
Our technological infrastructure is designed to handle these cases transparently, ensuring that your business continues to flow:
Continuous recognition: Atom will identify and unify your customer's profile correctly in the database, even if WhatsApp decides not to share their traditional number.
Intact history: Atom will seek to maintain conversation continuity over time to ensure there is no loss of context in customer service.
Send compatibility: Atom will be compatible with the identification mechanisms that WhatsApp defines for sending messages and notifications to these users.
🚦 Impact based on your team's roles
Handling contacts without a phone number will be native in Atom, so the action required by your team is minimal and depends on their role:
Role in the team | Action and Recommendation |
Advisor / Supervisor | None. They will be able to continue attending chats, assigning tags, and closing conversations in the inbox as always. |
Administrator | Informational. It is important to understand this behavior to understand why some new profiles in contact reports will not show a phone number. |
Technical Team | Systems audit. Check if the consumed webhooks or connected CRM fail when receiving a user ID instead of a standard phone number, and adapt the reception logic. |
Your customer service doesn't stop with privacy changes! 🚀
Atom will handle processing identifiers in the background so you can focus on providing excellent service. Make sure your technical systems are aligned and keep connecting with your customers no matter how they choose to identify themselves. ✅