WhatsApp Decouples Identity From Phone Numbers With Username Launch

WhatsApp opened username reservations June 29, 2026, allowing users to initiate contact without disclosing their phone number—a structural shift after 16 years of phone-number-as-identity. The feature rolls out fully later in 2026. Users can now communicate privately in professional and sensitive contexts. Phone numbers remain backend credentials, but what you share to reach someone changes entirely. The move also mirrors competitors like Telegram and Signal while raising unresolved questions about EU interoperability rules.