WhatsApp Usernames and BSUID: What Businesses Need to Prepare for 2026

WhatsApp is set to launch usernames, enabling users to interact with businesses without the necessity of sharing their phone numbers. To facilitate this privacy-centric change, businesses will need to manage a new identifier known as Business-Scoped User ID (BSUID).

Implications for Businesses:

• Customers may reach out to you using a WhatsApp username instead of a visible phone number.
• Phone numbers will remain functional for existing and familiar contacts.
• New contacts identified by username will only be recognized through BSUID.
• CRM systems, inboxes, automations, chatbots, reports, and webhook systems must accommodate both phone numbers and BSUID.
• Businesses should prepare to claim their WhatsApp Business Username starting in June 2026.

Sky Free / XpressBot will assist in this transition by enabling businesses to manage WhatsApp contacts through both phone numbers and BSUID, ensuring that conversations, automation workflows, and customer histories remain uninterrupted.