WhatsApp green tick: Official Business Account vs Meta Verified

"Bhai, green tick kivabe pabo?" is one of the most common questions Bangladeshi sellers ask about WhatsApp. The reason is real. Fake pages copy popular shops, take an advance payment on bKash and disappear. A badge next to your name tells a customer, before they send money or an address, that this is really you.

But the badge is also surrounded by myths: that it improves delivery, that it raises limits, that an agency can sell it for ৳15,000. This guide sorts out what each type of verification is, who can get it, and whether your shop should spend time on it now.

What is the WhatsApp green tick?

The WhatsApp "green tick" is the verified badge shown beside a business name, and today it is a blue checkmark. Meta switched the colour to match the badge used across its apps, but the old name stuck in Bangladesh.

There are two ways a business number can get it:

• An Official Business Account (OBA), for numbers on the WhatsApp Business API, which Meta grants after review.
• Meta Verified, a paid subscription for businesses, which Meta offers in some markets.

Both are different from Meta Business Verification, which gives no badge at all.

What is the difference between business verification, OBA and Meta Verified?

Business verification proves your company is real, an OBA marks an API number as an authentic brand, and Meta Verified is a paid subscription that includes a badge.

Think of business verification as the foundation. An OBA is built on top of it.

What are the requirements for an Official Business Account?

Meta lists five requirements for an OBA in its Official Business Account documentation:

1. The business follows the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy.
2. The business has been on the WhatsApp Business Platform for at least 30 days.
3. The business portfolio that owns the number has passed Business Verification.
4. The phone number has two-step verification turned on.
5. The display name is approved.

Meeting the five does not guarantee approval. Meta reviews each request and looks at whether the business is an authentic brand people recognise. In practice, links that show real public presence help: coverage in independent news sites, an official website on your own domain, and a consistent brand name everywhere. Paid "press releases" and articles you wrote yourself rarely count for much.

If Meta rejects the request, you can submit a new one after 30 days.

How do I request an Official Business Account?

You request OBA status for a specific phone number in WhatsApp Manager or through the API, usually with help from your WhatsApp provider. The steps:

Step 1: Verify your business

Complete Meta Business Verification with documents that match your details exactly, usually a trade licence plus proof of address. Name mismatches are the most common reason for rejection; our guide to Meta Business verification in Bangladesh lists the others.

Step 2: Fix your display name

Your display name should be the brand customers know, the same as on your Facebook Page, parcels and website. "Nupur Fashion" is fine. "Nupur Fashion Best Price BD Online Shop" is not.

Step 3: Turn on two-step verification

Set a six-digit PIN for the number in WhatsApp Manager and store it somewhere safe. You need it again when the number is re-registered.

Step 4: Use the number for 30 days

Send and receive messages normally, with good quality. A number with complaints and paused templates is a weak candidate. See how to keep your quality rating green.

Step 5: Submit the request

Add your strongest supporting links. Then wait for Meta's answer, and do not pay anyone who promises to speed it up.

What is Meta Verified for WhatsApp?

Meta Verified for businesses is a paid subscription that gives a verified badge, protection against accounts impersonating you, and access to account support. Meta has been rolling it out by market and by app, so it may or may not be offered for your account in Bangladesh when you read this.

To check, look for Meta Verified in your WhatsApp Business app settings or in Meta's business tools. If you do not see an option, it is not yet offered for your account. Meta sets the price and terms per market, so read them in the sign-up screen rather than in a blog post.

Does the badge improve sales or delivery?

The badge improves trust, not delivery or limits. Messaging limits depend on business verification, sending volume and quality. Template approval depends on the template. A badge does none of that.

Where it does help:

• Against fakes. Customers who have been scammed by a copy page look for proof.
• Before an advance. A customer about to send a bKash advance, or share their home address, feels safer.
• For bigger brands. If you run ads at scale, copy pages will appear, and the badge separates you from them.

For a shop doing 20 orders a day, a recognisable display name, a verified business, fast replies and a consistent number printed on every parcel matter more than the badge.

What are the common myths about the green tick?

The common myths are that it can be bought, that it raises limits, and that it is required for the API. None are true.

How does SaleMag fit in?

SaleMag connects your number to Meta's official WhatsApp Business API through embedded signup, and its channel setup screen shows each number's display name status (approved, under review or declined) and quality rating as reported by Meta. SaleMag does not grant badges and cannot guarantee an Official Business Account; that decision is Meta's alone. Once your number is connected, verification and OBA requests are made in WhatsApp Manager, and the number keeps working the same way in SaleMag while you wait.

Next steps

Start with business verification and a clean display name; both help you today, badge or not. After 30 days of good-quality use, decide whether an OBA request is worth it for your brand. To connect your number to the official API and manage it from a team inbox, start free or see pricing.