WhatsApp launches usernames and links Instagram for advertising

What happened?

WhatsApp has launched usernames (@username), a long-awaited feature that allows users to communicate without sharing their phone number. According to WWWhat's new, the novelty comes with a Meta strategy: if the @ you want is taken, the app offers to claim it by linking your Instagram account. This process connects both profiles in Meta's Accounts Center, allowing the company to cross-reference behavioral data from Instagram with the WhatsApp profile to personalize the advertising already arriving on the platform.

The feature was officially announced on July 1, 2026, according to Xataka, and represents one of the most significant changes to the platform since its acquisition by Facebook in 2014. Historically, WhatsApp has remained a phone number-based messaging app, unlike competitors like Telegram or Signal that already offered alternative identifiers. The adoption of usernames brings WhatsApp closer to a more flexible model, but also opens the door to new monetization strategies.

Why is it important?

Usernames change WhatsApp's privacy logic: you no longer need to expose your number to start a conversation. But the real impact is strategic. Meta announced in 2025 the arrival of ads on WhatsApp, with three formats: promoted channels, paid channel subscriptions, and advertising in the 'Updates' tab, which according to the platform is used by 1.5 billion people daily. However, end-to-end encryption of chats prevented Meta from personalizing those ads with message data. Account linking solves that problem: by linking WhatsApp and Instagram, Meta can access behavioral data from Instagram (where there is no encryption) and use it to target ads on WhatsApp.

This move is not isolated. Meta has already implemented similar strategies in other apps: for example, in 2023, Instagram began showing ads based on Facebook activity, and in 2024, the unified Accounts Center allowed Oculus data to be used to personalize ads on Facebook. The key difference is that WhatsApp, with over 2 billion users, is the crown jewel in terms of daily engagement. According to Statista data, WhatsApp users spend an average of 19 minutes per day on the app, making it an extremely valuable advertising channel.

Additionally, the username feature could accelerate WhatsApp adoption in professional and business environments, where sharing a personal number is a barrier. However, linking with Instagram introduces a new dilemma: users who want a specific @ (e.g., their brand name) will be tempted to link accounts, even if they do not wish to share data. According to WWWhat's new, the mechanics are designed so that many users accept the linking without being fully aware of the advertising implications.

What consequences will it have?

For users, the decision to link Instagram or not will determine their exposure to personalized advertising. Those who do not link accounts will see generic ads; those who do will give up data that Meta will use to profile them. This raises privacy concerns: although messages remain encrypted, the unified profile allows Meta to infer interests and habits from Instagram activity (likes, comments, searches, etc.). For example, if a user follows travel accounts on Instagram, they might start seeing airline ads on WhatsApp, even if they have never talked about travel in their chats.

For businesses, it opens opportunities for more precise ad targeting within WhatsApp, an app with over 2 billion users. Promoted channels, for instance, will allow brands to reach specific audiences based on interests inferred from Instagram. According to a 2025 eMarketer report, WhatsApp's advertising revenue is expected to reach $10 billion by 2028, driven in part by this integration.

Furthermore, the feature could impact competition. Telegram, which has offered usernames since 2013, has seen WhatsApp snatch away one of its differentiating advantages. However, Telegram does not link usernames to other services or use them for advertising, which could become a privacy argument for its users. Signal, on the other hand, maintains a stricter privacy approach but lacks WhatsApp's massive user base.

Another relevant aspect is the potential regulatory reaction. In the European Union, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) has already forced Meta to offer options for not linking data between its services. The new feature could be scrutinized by regulators, especially if the linking is considered coercive (by offering a desired @ only if Instagram is linked). However, Meta argues that linking is optional and that users can choose a different @.

What should readers know?

• Usernames are optional: you can still use your phone number.
• If the desired @ is taken, WhatsApp will suggest linking Instagram to claim it, but it is not mandatory.
• Linking accounts connects your profiles in Meta's Accounts Center, allowing the company to use your Instagram data to personalize ads on WhatsApp.
• Meta has already started showing ads in the 'Updates' tab of WhatsApp, and they are expected to expand to other spaces like channels.
• Personal and group messages remain end-to-end encrypted and are not used for advertising.
• The username feature is available in the latest version of WhatsApp (2.26.14.82) and is rolling out gradually worldwide.
• If you do not link accounts, the ads you see will be generic (based on factors like location or device type).
• You can unlink your accounts at any time from Meta's Accounts Center, but this could affect your @ if you claimed it through linking.

In the words of WWWhat's new: 'Linking connects WhatsApp and Instagram profiles within Meta's Accounts Center. The result is not just an available name. It is a unified profile that feeds the company's personalized advertising engine.'

This move by Meta seeks to monetize WhatsApp without breaking its promise of chat privacy, but it opens a new debate on the limits of advertising personalization in messaging apps. Each user's decision to link or not will determine their experience and privacy. In a market where user trust is increasingly valuable, Meta is playing a risky game: offering convenience in exchange for data, just as global regulators are focusing on big tech practices.