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If you’ve ever hesitated to share your WhatsApp contact with a new client, customer or colleague because it meant handing over your personal digits, that problem just got solved.
WhatsApp announced that its 3 billion global users can now reserve a unique username, with the feature going live later this year, according to Bloomberg. Once active, users can connect with anyone on the platform with just a username — no phone number required.
It’s a significant privacy upgrade for anyone who uses WhatsApp for business. The company has already set aside existing Facebook and Instagram usernames for their owners and will permanently protect high-profile usernames tied to public figures and brands to prevent impersonation. “When you meet someone new,” said WhatsApp’s head of product, “sharing a phone number can feel like a big step.”