Understanding Official Business Accounts (OBA)

What is an Official Business Account (OBA)?

An Official Business Account (OBA) is a special type of WhatsApp business account given to authentic and well-known brands.

When a business phone number receives OBA status:

• A blue checkmark appears next to the business name

• Customers see the business name instead of a phone number

• The account looks official and trustworthy

This status is granted by META after reviewing the business and its public presence.

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Read this first (important)

You do NOT need OBA to use WhatsApp Business or WhatsApp APIs.

Most businesses:

• Do not have OBA

• Work completely fine without it

• Use WhatsApp for messaging, automation, and campaigns successfully

Think of OBA as:

⭐ A trust badge, not a requirement

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What does the blue checkmark actually mean?

The blue checkmark means:

• WhatsApp has verified that the business is authentic

• The brand is well-known and frequently searched

• The account is not impersonating another brand

It does not mean:

• Better message delivery

• More messaging features

• Higher limits or priority support

Your WhatsApp functionality stays exactly the same with or without OBA.

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How Is OBA Different From a Regular Business Account?

Most WhatsApp Business numbers are verified but not official.

With an Official Business Account:

• A blue checkmark is visible (when a user receives a message from that number)

• Your business name can become searchable in WhatsApp after a customer has already interacted with you

  For example: If a user has previously received a message from your business, they can type your display name in the WhatsApp search bar and your chat will appear.

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Why does WhatsApp offer OBA?

WhatsApp introduced OBA to:

• Protect users from fake or impersonation accounts

• Help users quickly identify trusted brands

• Highlight businesses with strong public recognition

OBA approval is based on brand notability, not on:

• API spend

• Platform usage

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Important things to understand about OBA

Before applying, keep these in mind:

• OBA is approved per phone number

• Approval for one number does not guarantee approval for others

• OBA decisions do not affect account functionality

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An Official Business Account (OBA) is WhatsApp’s highest level of brand verification. It improves trust and visibility, but it is optional.

If your brand qualifies, OBA is a great addition. If it doesn’t, you can still use WhatsApp fully and successfully.

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Quick summary

• OBA = Blue checkmark + trust

• OBA is optional

• Most businesses don’t need it

• Features are the same with or without OBA

• OBA is meant for well-known brands