Starting in June 2026, WhatsApp Business Platform will introduce significant changes to how businesses identify and communicate with their users. This evolution aims to prioritize privacy, allowing people to interact with businesses without having to share their phone number.

What is the BSUID?

The Business Scoped User ID (BSUID) is a unique, anonymous identifier generated by Meta for each specific user-business combination.

• It's an alphanumeric string of up to 128 characters. The BSUID identifier uses the user's two-letter country code as a prefix, following the ISO 3166 alpha-2 standard, followed by a period and an alphanumeric string of up to 128 characters (for example: US.13491208655302741918)
• It contains no personal information, only the country associated with the account.
• It's specific to each Meta Business Manager: a user's ID for "Company A" will be different from their ID for "Company B."

Confirmed timeline from Meta

There is no global "shutdown" date for the phone number. The number stops appearing in webhooks individually, when each user activates their username (opt-in feature).

• March 31, 2026 → BSUIDs already appear in webhooks
• May 2026 → The API supports sending messages by BSUID (exact date pending)
• Late 2026 ("Later in 2026") → Username launch for end users.

What happens when a user activates their username? Their phone number stops appearing in webhooks, except when there has been interaction within the last 30 days, when they're in the company's contact book, or in other exceptions defined by Meta.

Official Meta documentation: Business Scoped User IDs

Impact on the Botmaker platform

Botmaker is adapting to make this transition smooth:

• Chats: Will display the BSUID information at all times.
• Contacts: Will be grouped by BSUID to maintain information consistency.
• API and Integrations: You'll be able to manage conversations using either the phone number, the BSUID, or the ChatID.

Variables available in the bot

• ${bsuid} → this is the exact variable that brings the BSUID into Botmaker. It's already available on the platform and you can test it.
• CHAT_CHANNEL_ID → does not change. It still represents the customer's line (the business), not the user's.
• platformContactId / User ID on the channel → may stop being a phone number and become a BSUID. It's important to take this into account in any logic that assumes a numeric format.

Current availability

• The ${bsuid} variable is already available and can be used in bot flows.
• In code actions, the BSUID will be incorporated within the next few weeks.
• The rollout is general — there is no separate testing environment to validate beforehand.

Summary of key changes

To understand the technical and functional scope, these are the pillars of the update:

1. Identifier privacy: When a user adopts a username, their phone number is hidden and the company receives the BSUID in its place.
2. Nature of the BSUID: It's a unique code generated by Meta for each specific user-business combination. It's an alphanumeric string of up to 128 characters (much longer than the 15 characters of a standard phone number).
3. Management in Botmaker:
4. • Chats and Contacts: The BSUID information will be readily available, and contacts will be automatically grouped under this new ID.
   • New entries: New customers will arrive through organic channels (QR, links), ads (CTWA), or platforms like Email and SMS.

Notifications to phone numbers

The ability to send notification templates using traditional phone numbers will be maintained, since the system will allow you to reference WhatsApp conversations through the ChatID, the phone number, or the new BSUID.

For contacts that already have a phone number registered through previous interactions, Botmaker will keep both data points to ensure service continuity.

Who is affected by this change?

It's important to identify which processes will be modified and which will remain the same:

Affected:

• WhatsApp channels exclusively: This change does not apply to other social networks connected to Botmaker.
• Outbound campaigns to users who haven't shared a phone number: Specifically marketing or utility campaigns. The notification can still be sent, but via BSUID.

Not affected:

• User-Initiated conversations: When the customer writes first, communication flows normally.
• Authentication templates (OTP): Verification code messages remain unchanged in their structure.
• Historical customers: People who had communication with the bot between March and June 2026 will not see their future relationship with the company affected.
• Users who consented: Customers who, after June 2026, have explicitly agreed to share their phone number.
• Existing actions in flows: trigger intent, change bot, master bot, and external link authentications do not require any changes. The only thing to keep in mind is that the platformContactId or "User ID on the channel" may stop being a phone number.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How will notifications be sent?

Companies will be able to reference WhatsApp conversations and send notifications using three types of identifiers: ChatID, phone number, or BSUID. The platform will allow you to load any of these data points to start or maintain communication.

What happens if a user doesn't want to share their phone number? How are templates sent to them?

If the user chooses to hide their number, the company will receive their BSUID. You'll still be able to send outbound campaigns or messages through the API using this identifier instead of the phone number. If for operational reasons (such as a physical shipment or legal validation) you need the number, you can request it from the user through a utility or marketing template designed to capture that data.

Will it still be possible to send templates to users with a phone number?

Yes. If you already have the WhatsApp number registered through previous interactions, Botmaker will keep both data points (phone number and BSUID). In addition, for existing contacts, the phone number will remain visible and usable if the user is already in your Meta "Contact Book."

How will templates continue to be sent?

The technical process remains similar, but with greater flexibility in the identifier. Marketing campaigns and utility messages can be triggered using the BSUID. It's worth noting that authentication templates (OTP) will not undergo changes in their basic operation. These can only be sent by phone number, not by BSUID.

What is the exact variable within Botmaker that will bring the BSUID into WhatsApp conversations?

The variable is ${bsuid}. It's already available on the platform and you can use it in bot flows.

Will the BSUID replace the current value of PLATFORM_CONTACT_ID, customerId, or any other variable?

Yes, eventually, although it's a more complex change and there is no definitive date. It's estimated for late 2026, aligned with Meta's general username rollout. In the meantime, the platformContactId or "User ID on the channel" may start containing a BSUID instead of a phone number — it's recommended not to assume a numeric format in the bot logic.

Will CHAT_CHANNEL_ID still represent only the channel/chat, or could it also change with this update?

It does not change. CHAT_CHANNEL_ID represents the customer's line (the business), not the user's. It is not affected by the introduction of the BSUID.

Is there a real example of a payload, code action, or platform variable where the BSUID is already visible?

Yes, it's already available on the platform and can be tested today through the ${bsuid} variable. The integration within code actions is being released soon.

In user-initiated conversations, should we assume that in some cases we'll no longer receive the phone number and only the BSUID will arrive?

Correct. As part of the progressive rollout (estimated for late 2026), every time a user activates their username, you'll stop receiving their phone number in webhooks and only the BSUID will arrive. There is no single global date — it depends on each user's individual adoption.

For historical contacts, will Botmaker continue to expose both data points (phone number and BSUID) in variables usable within the bot?

Yes. For contacts with previous interactions, Botmaker will keep both the phone number and the BSUID accessible, and both can be used to send notifications.

Is there additional technical documentation, changelog, manual, or extended FAQ beyond this article?

At this time, no additional technical documentation has been published. The Botmaker team is preparing supplementary material that will be shared as the rollout progresses. The official reference source is Meta's documentation on Business Scoped User IDs.

Is there any way to validate this behavior in a testing or development environment before the general rollout?

The deployment is general, no separate testing environment is offered. Validation is performed directly on the platform using the ${bsuid} variable that is already available.

Will there be required changes in actions like trigger intent, change bot, master bot, or external link authentications?

No changes are required in those actions. The only thing to keep in mind is that the platformContactId or "User ID on the channel" may stop being a phone number — any validation or logic that assumes a numeric format should be adjusted.

What should companies do to adapt to this change?

To avoid disruptions, we recommend following these steps:

1. Update databases: Expand the ID fields in your systems from 15 to 128 alphanumeric characters to support the BSUID format.
2. Identity mapping: Prepare your CRMs to register both the BSUID and the phone number and email, linking them to a single customer profile.
3. Enable the contact book: In June 2026, you'll need to configure the Contact Book function in Meta Business Suite to ensure current customers' phone numbers remain visible.
4. Redesign flows: Adjust bots so they can initially operate with only the BSUID, without necessarily depending on the phone number to function

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