Zhao failed to register “cz_binance” on WhatsApp’s new username system. Without identity verification, scammers can exploit recognizable names, putting crypto users at risk of phishing.
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Changpeng Zhao tried to register “cz_binance” as his username during WhatsApp’s global rollout this week. The system would not let him have it. It assigned a different name, he said on X.
The incident reveals a blind spot in WhatsApp’s shift from phone-number identification to a username system. The change is meant to give users more control over privacy. Phone numbers are a persistent identifier that can be leaked or sold. A username can be changed or discarded. The catch: the system has no mechanism to verify that a person claiming a recognizable name actually owns it.
That gap matters most for public figures in crypto. Zhao, the former Binance CEO, is a prime target for impersonation. Scammers have used fake accounts across social media to solicit crypto transfers or phishing links. WhatsApp’s move to usernames may expand that attack surface rather than shrink it.
Platforms like Twitter and Instagram offer verified badges to distinguish real accounts from impostors. WhatsApp does not. Users who have relied on phone numbers to confirm a contact’s identity now face a scenario where a stranger could message from the username “cz_binance” and look legitimate. The phone number that previously served as a weak anchor is no longer visible by default.
The risk is not theoretical. Zhao’s failed registration shows that the name is available–just not to him. A scammer could claim it tomorrow. Without a verification layer, the burden shifts entirely to the recipient. They would need to confirm identity through a separate channel, such as a Signal message or a known wallet address.
WhatsApp’s username system went live globally this week with no announced plan for verified badges. The company has not said whether it will introduce a verification process. For crypto users who use WhatsApp for deal discussions or OTC coordination, the implication is immediate: until the platform adds a way to authenticate usernames, the phone number remains the only reliable identifier. The username feature, designed to enhance privacy, may instead become a vector for fraud.
Zhao’s experience is a concrete example of a problem that security researchers flagged during the feature’s beta phase. The mechanism is straightforward: whoever registers a name first holds it. There is no recovery process for a well-known figure whose name is taken by someone else. The same dynamic applies to any crypto founder, trader, or analyst with a public profile.
The simplest fix–registering early–does not address the absence of verification. Zhao tried to do exactly that and failed. The incident suggests the system’s name-assignment logic is not transparent and may reject names based on criteria that are not disclosed.
For now, the safest approach for WhatsApp users in crypto is to keep phone numbers visible for contacts who need to verify identity, and to treat any unsolicited message from a recognizable username with skepticism. Until WhatsApp introduces a formal verification process, the username is a credential without proof.
WhatsApp’s global rollout of username functionality is complete. The verification problem is not.
Prepared with AlphaScala research tooling and grounded in primary market data: live prices, fundamentals, SEC filings, hedge-fund holdings, and insider activity. Each story is checked against AlphaScala publishing rules before release. Educational coverage, not personalized advice.