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BSUID and Username: New WhatsApp Recipient Identifiers and Changes to edna Pulse

Last updated: 19 May 2026

We've compiled key information on how Meta's changes to WhatsApp will affect its integration with edna Pulse, along with a list of things you should plan for in advance.

What Will Change​

From June 2026, WhatsApp will introduce usernames, enabling users to conceal their phone numbers when communicating with companies.

If a user sets a username, sending outgoing messages via phone number may become unavailable. In webhooks for incoming messages, the BSUID (Business Scoped User ID) — a unique WhatsApp user identifier used to address messages without a phone number — will be transmitted instead of the phone number.

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The main change is that recipient identification will no longer depend solely on the phone number.

  • BSUID — becomes the mandatory recipient identifier.
  • Username — allows you to hide your phone number when interacting with companies.
  • Phone number — remains the primary identifier but becomes optional.
  • Parent BSUID — allows you to link a single recipient across multiple business portfolios.
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If your systems identify recipients based on their phone numbers, we recommend switching to BSUID as the primary identifier for WhatsApp as soon as possible.

New WhatsApp Entities​

BSUID​

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A BSUID (Business Scoped User ID) is a unique primary identifier for a "recipient + business portfolio" pair.

  • A single recipient can have multiple BSUIDs if you are working with different business portfolios.
  • To correctly match conversations with a recipient, use only the BSUID.
  • BSUID format: CC.<identifier> (for example, BR.1A2B...), where CC is the country code. The identifier can be up to 128 characters long, including the country code. developers.facebook.com

Username​

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A username is a WhatsApp user’s public identifier.

  • A unique WhatsApp username is analogous to @username in Telegram.
  • If a WhatsApp user has enabled Username, Meta may not pass their phone number to webhooks, and sending messages via phone number may not be available in some cases.

Phone Number​

  • It remains the primary identifier, but becomes unavailable for use in certain cases.
  • If the recipient's phone number is unavailable, use the BSUID as the primary identifier.
  • Even when using a username, the phone number may remain available for use if the recipient has been added to the company’s contact book, which is located in the business portfolio. developers.facebook.com
  • If your identification is based solely on a phone number, there is an increased risk of losing the context of existing conversations. developers.facebook.com
info

Sending authorization messages remains available only via phone number.

Parent BSUID​

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The Parent BSUID is required for scenarios where you consolidate data for a single recipient across multiple business portfolios.

  • By default, Meta does'ot return the Parent BSUID.
  • This setting is configured on the Meta side. If you want to receive the Parent BSUID, contact Meta Business Support to confirm the relationship between your business portfolios. developers.facebook.com

How edna Pulse Will Support These Updates​

edna Pulse is gradually adding support for new identifiers and will:

  • retain the recipient’s identifier pair BSUID + phone number (when the number is provided to Meta);
  • display identifier pairs in the user account;
  • pass new identifiers in webhooks from edna Pulse.
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API integrations for sending messages and working with new recipient identifiers will also be updated.

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If you store identifiers in a CRM, CDP, or database, plan ahead to update the API methods and webhook handling in your integration with edna Pulse, and start using BSUID as the primary recipient identifier for WhatsApp.

Parent BSUID​

  • You decide whether to use Parent BSUID.
  • To configure Parent BSUID, contact Meta Business Support.
  • The edna Pulse team can advise you on the configuration. developers.facebook.com

Contact Book​

  • The Contact Book is managed in Meta.
  • The Contact Book automatically saves and links the phone numbers and BSUIDs of recipients you have interacted with to ensure consistent identification and access to their phone numbers, even when using a username. developers.facebook.com

Business Username​

  • You decide whether to use a business username for your business scenarios.
  • To reserve or configure a business name, contact Meta Business Support.
  • When the status of a business name changes, Meta uses the business_username_update event. developers.facebook.com
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edna Pulse doesn't plan to support webhooks related to the business username. developers.facebook.com

Roadmap for Changes in 2026​

PeriodWhat's Happening
Early 2026System preparation and implementation of BSUID support.
February–March 2026
  • Test BSUIDs appear in test message webhook events.
  • Contact Book configuration becomes available in Meta Business Suite.
  • Real BSUIDs begin to be included in message webhook events.
April–May 2026
  • Contact Book is rolled out in phases.
  • BSUID testing begins.
  • Sending messages using BSUID via a new recipient field becomes available (exact date to be confirmed).
June 2026
  • Sending messages using BSUID via a new recipient field becomes available (exact date to be confirmed).
  • Testing of usernames begins in select countries.
Before the launch of UsernamesThe ability to reserve a username becomes available.
Later in 2026
  • Usernames become available to WhatsApp users.
  • Businesses can set and change their Business Username via the API (exact date to be confirmed).
Throughout 2026New identifiers are rolled out globally for businesses and users.
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Information is subject to change depending on updates from Meta. developers.facebook.com

Checklist for Migrating to BSUID​

  1. Identify where the phone number is used as the primary recipient identifier.
  2. (Optional) Prepare your systems to store the new recipient identifiers.
  3. Plan and update the processing of webhooks for incoming messages from edna Pulse to account for the new identifiers.
  4. Review and adapt integrations with CRM or CDP systems and other data storage solutions.
  5. Review and update recipient identification logic in your systems.
  6. Plan and update message sending methods in your edna Pulse integration to support the use of BSUID.
  7. (Optional) Plan and update methods for working with recipients in your edna Pulse integration.
  8. Adapt your business processes to the new recipient identification model.
  9. (Optional) Assess the need for a Parent BSUID and company name, and plan the corresponding settings in Meta.
tip

For more information about WhatsApp usernames, see the Meta documentation.

developers.facebook.com

FAQ​

Can I continue using only a phone number?​

Sending messages using a phone number is allowed only in cases specified by Meta. If the recipient is added to your Contact Book, you can continue using the phone number without any changes. developers.facebook.com

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We recommend using BSUID as the primary identifier for WhatsApp recipients.

Is BSUID mandatory?​

Yes, if you want to correctly identify recipients in all WhatsApp interaction scenarios.

What should I do if the phone number is not available?​

Use BSUID as the primary identifier. You can also retrieve recipient identifiers via the API or view them in the edna Pulse account.

Will I lose my existing customers?​

No. However, without BSUID support, there is a higher risk of losing recipient matching and conversation context.

Do I need to update the API integration?​

Yes, if you use the edna Pulse API, store recipient data in your own systems, and rely on the phone number as the primary identifier.

What happens if I don't support these changes?​

The integration will continue to work, but some recipients may no longer be identified correctly.

What changes after supporting the new identifiers?​

You will be able to identify recipients even when the phone number is hidden or unavailable.

What should I do if I integrate with edna Pulse via API?​

Update your webhook processing and add support for the new recipient identifiers in the API methods you use.

How will these changes affect CRM and other external systems?​

Your external systems should support the new identifiers and the updated recipient identification logic.