WhatsApp channel update - Contact Identification (username) – Blip | Blip Help

Index:

Introduction

As recently announced by Meta, the contact identification model in WhatsApp Business is evolving. Aiming for contact privacy, Meta is introducing usernames on WhatsApp. Meta's official technical documentation.

The adoption of a username is optional for both the contact and the brands. If the contact adopts a username, their phone number will be hidden, and only the username will be displayed. Brands, however, even if they have adopted a username, will continue to display their phone number.

Along with the introduction of the username, Meta will begin identifying contacts through a new identifier, the BSUID - Business-Scoped User ID. This new identifier is generated by Meta and aims to identify that contact for the Business. Unlike the phone number, which is always the same number regardless of the business that the contact interacts with, the BSUID will be unique for each of the businesses the contact interacts with.

Timeline

June/2026: Usernames will be released in test countries by Meta
July/2026: Rollout to other test countries defined by Meta
August/2026: expectation to be released in GA by Meta

Brands: how to adopt or reserve a Username

Just like the user, the brand will also be able to adopt the use of a username or even reserve a username for its brand. However, it is not yet available; Meta's forecast is May 2026.

Contacts: identification

All contacts, regardless of whether they adopt a username or not, will now come with the new identifier, BSUID. The phone number will only be provided by Meta:

If the contact has not adopted a username
If the contact's phone number is in the brand's contact book (which will be launched in April 2026 by Meta)

Contact identification in Blip

Aiming to minimize the impact on our customers, Blip will create an abstraction that will analyze the data received by the partner, Meta, and then relate it to an existing contact or create a new contact, if necessary.

FAQ

1. What is this Meta change and what is its goal?

Meta is introducing usernames on WhatsApp, allowing users and companies to identify themselves by a name, without the obligation to expose the phone number in all scenarios. Consequently, when the phone number is not available, companies will interact through a technical identifier called Business-Scoped User ID (BSUID). Goal of the initiative:

Increase user privacy
Modernize the identity model on WhatsApp
Support new acquisition and engagement scenarios
Allow continuity of conversations even when the number is not shared

Important: This is not a new feature. This change is a structural evolution of the identification model adopted by Meta.

2. How will this adoption work?

The adoption of usernames changes the model used until now, which was based exclusively on the user's phone number. With the new scenario:

The phone number remains an identifier in some cases
But it is no longer guaranteed in 100% of cases
The scoped identifier (BSUID) becomes the official technical identifier in scenarios where the phone number is not available

Integrations that exclusively use the number as a primary key (CRM, automations, campaigns, measurement, and third-party integrations) may need to evolve to support multiple identifiers, avoiding future impacts. At this time, there is no discontinuation of the current model yet.

3. What are the deadlines and next steps?

Meta's public documentation has evolved in recent weeks, and today we have the following milestones:

Feb-Mar/2026: Tests with fictitious data for BSUID reception simulation (no clients involved).
March 31: Start of official BSUID reception via message webhook. In this phase: The phone number will still coexist; there is no adoption of usernames yet; the goal is to allow progressive mapping between phone and BSUID.
April/May (to be defined by Meta): Possible sandbox for end-to-end testing (sending and receiving via BSUID).
June: Start of username adoption in test countries with controlled volume. Meta is still officially defining the countries.
“2nd half/2026”: Progressive global rollout released by Meta. There is no definitive date yet for the eventual termination of the current model.

4. How is Blip preparing?

Blip is conducting early tests and evolving its platform to:

Support coexistence between phone and BSUID
Preserve history and identity integrity
Ensure compatibility with existing integrations
Evaluate strategies that minimize impacts of future structural changes by Meta

Our focus is to reduce operational friction and ensure stability throughout the transition.

5. What immediate action should be taken by customers?

There is no mandatory action at this time. However, we recommend that customers using a phone number as a primary key in external systems:

Evaluate if their structures support multiple identifiers
Avoid new implementations that assume the phone number as the sole identifier
Review the flow where they consider the contact identifier in the WhatsApp channel to be the phone number

Any future mandatory action will be communicated in advance and supported by Blip.

6. Is there a Blip architecture model for this change?

Yes. Blip already has a defined architectural direction to adapt the platform to the new identity model. We are structuring an identity abstraction layer in the WhatsApp channel that allows:

Preserving conversation history
Keeping integrations stable
Reducing dependence on structural variations of the Meta model

Internally, this involves consolidating a stable identifier on the platform, while Meta's identifiers (phone number / BSUID) are treated as channel attributes.

Important: this evolution is already being conducted before the general rollout to minimize risks to the customer base.

For more information, visit the discussion on the topic in our community or check out the videos on our channel. 😃