WhatsApp has long relied on phone numbers as the only identity for accounts. Users need a phone number to create an account. Anyone in an individual or a group chat can see your phone number. This might be changing as WhatsApp is working on introducing usernames.
The latest beta version of WhatsApp’s app suggests that the company could introduce this feature in the future, according to a report from WABetaInfo. The report noted that the username section will be visible on the Profile page in Settings.