What is changing in WhatsApp?
Meta is rolling out two new features on the WhatsApp Business Platform in 2026:
- Usernames: WhatsApp users will be able to create a username (e.g.,
@maria.silva) and hide their phone number when talking to businesses. - BSUID (Business-Scoped User ID): a new unique identifier that Meta has started sending for each contact (format
BR.1349120865530...). It is unique per business — the same user has a different BSUID for each business they talk to — and it becomes the official way to identify a contact when the phone number is not visible.
Meta's timeline: since April/2026 BSUIDs have been arriving in the webhooks; since June/2026 users can reserve their usernames (the current phase); adoption will be gradual over the coming months.
Is Cloud Chat ready?
Yes. Since early June 2026, Cloud Chat already receives, stores, and automatically links the BSUID of each contact. In practice:
- Every contact who interacts through WhatsApp already has the BSUID linked to their record, alongside the phone number.
- When a user chooses to hide their number, service continues as usual — Cloud Chat identifies the person by the BSUID and keeps the entire conversation history unified.
- If a contact changes their number in the future, the BSUID makes it possible to recognize them as the same person, avoiding duplicate records.
What changes for my operation?
Nothing changes in your day-to-day, and no action is required. A few useful details:
- Continuity of conversations: contacts who talked to your business in the last 30 days are saved in Meta's contact book, and each new contact renews that cycle — meaning the phone number of these contacts remains visible as usual.
- New contacts with a hidden number: they may appear identified by their profile name or username instead of the phone number. Service works as usual.
- Authentication templates (OTP codes): due to a restriction from Meta itself, it is not possible to send templates in the Authentication category to users who have hidden their number.
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose the conversation history of any customer? No. BSUID-based identification exists precisely to keep the history unified even when the phone number is not available.
Do I need to configure anything? No. The adaptation was made on the platform and is already active for all customers.
Are usernames already working? Not yet. Meta is in the username reservation phase and has not started sending them in the webhooks yet. When that happens, Cloud Chat is already ready to receive them.
Where can I find more information from Meta on the subject? In the official documentation: Business-Scoped User IDs.