BitChat

BitChat
DevelopersJack Dorsey and Block, Inc.
Written in
Operating system
Standards
TypeInstant messaging
License
Websitebitchat.free Edit this on Wikidata
Repository

Bitchat is a peer-to-peer encrypted messaging app, conceived by Doris Lima and developed by Jack Dorsey, co‑founder of Twitter (now X) and Block, Inc. Announced in July 2025, Bitchat enables users to send messages via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks without requiring internet connections, cellular service, user accounts, or central servers. Bitchat also uses the internet-based Nostr protocol for global reach.

It has been widely used for bypassing local internet shutdowns during protests in countries such as Madagascar, Iran, Uganda, Nepal and India.

Overview

Bitchat uses a hybrid peer-to-peer encrypted messaging architecture, with two complementary transport layers of Bluetooth mesh networking and Nostr for offline and internet communication. It operates local messaging over Bluetooth based on the Noise Protocol Framework,[1][2][3][4][5] enabling nearby devices to relay messages without requiring internet connectivity.[6][2][7] Users can chat on the local #mesh channel, and since version 1.3.0, Geohash-based location channels are available via Nostr, allowing online users to chat with nearby or global people.[8] Direct messages to other users use end-to-end encryption, with Bluetooth preferred first and Nostr being the fallback routing when Bluetooth is unavailable. The app also features password-protected channels and a panic mode that erases all stored data on tapping the logo thrice.[7] Jack Dorsey has said the app resembles IRC messaging systems.[9]

History

Dorsey first announced Bitchat on X (formerly Twitter) on 6 July 2025.[2][3] He published a white paper to his GitHub page detailing its decentralized architecture and encryption design.[1][10][7] Furthermore, the app entered beta testing via TestFlight, quickly reaching its 10,000‑user limit.[2][3][1] Shortly after the app's testing release on TestFlight, a security researcher found it was possible to impersonate another user and communicate with that user's contacts while appearing as them to that user. Dorsey later added to the Bitchat project page, saying it was a work-in-progress, had not received an external security review, and might not meet its security goals.[11]

Use cases

Bitchat is designed for resilient communication when traditional networks are unavailable or compromised, for example during natural disasters or Internet blackouts.[9][10] It also enables communication at large events such as music festivals without relying on Internet connectivity.[1][3] The app addresses censorship and surveillance concerns and reflects predecessors like FireChat and Bridgefy, which were used by pro‑democracy protesters in Hong Kong.[7][3][2]

The app saw significant use by protesters in Madagascar in September 2025, with the company reporting 70 thousand downloads within the course of one week from the country,[12] compared to around 360 thousand total worldwide downloads the company had reported by late September.[13] Similar patterns occurred in Nepal during its protests the same month, with nearly 50,000 downloads from Nepalese users on 8 September 2025 alone.[14][15] In January 2026, there were reports of a rise in downloads of Bitchat in both Uganda and Iran during internet blackouts.[16] In April 2026, the Apple App Store took down Bitchat in China at the request of the Cyberspace Administration of China.[17]

During the July 2026 Jantar Mantar protests in India, Bitchat was heavily downloaded by protesters to maintain communications after internet access at the site was cut off. Between 17 and 23 July, India accounted for about 85% of the app's global downloads compared to 1% over the previous 30 days. Over 330,000 users were active on 23 July, the highest level recorded for the app in the country.[18] On the same day, an Indian government notice, issued by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), demanded that GitHub remove repositories hosting the code for Bitchat. The order was issued under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, warning GitHub that it could lose its intermediary "safe harbor" legal protection if it refused. The primary concerns were that it renders local internet shutdowns ineffective, hinders criminal investigations, and poses a "substantial risk of misuse" by anti-national elements, terrorist organizations, and criminals looking to operate anonymously.[18][19][20] Dorsey replied on X, claiming that "the Government of India does not like technologies like Bitchat and wants it taken down".[20] Digital rights groups such as the Internet Freedom Foundation and the Software Freedom Law Center, India (SFLC.in), criticized the order as overreaching and unconstitutional.[21] On 28 July, Bitchat introduced offline APK sharing for Android phones. The app can be distributed either through a shared Wi-Fi hotspot or Android's Nearby Share feature.[22][23]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Cuthbertson 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e Sigalos 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e Silberling 2025.
  4. ^ Crawley, Jamie; Alpher, Stephen (8 July 2025). "Jack Dorsey Unveils Bitchat: Offline, Encrypted Messaging Inspired by Bitcoin". CoinDesk. Retrieved 9 July 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  5. ^ Johnivan, J. R. (8 July 2025). "Twitter Co-Founder Launches Bitchat, a Security-Focused, Bluetooth Messaging App". TechRepublic. Retrieved 9 July 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  6. ^ Bonk 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d Weatherbed 2025.
  8. ^ "bitchat 1.3.0". GitHub. permissionlesstech. 20 August 2025. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  9. ^ a b Young, Martin (7 July 2025). "Jack Dorsey tests Bitchat — decentralized messaging without internet". Cointelegraph. Retrieved 9 July 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  10. ^ a b Ropek 2025.
  11. ^ Franceschi-Bicchierai, Lorenzo (9 July 2025). "Jack Dorsey says his 'secure' new Bitchat app has not been tested for security". TechCrunch. Retrieved 10 July 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  12. ^ "« Gen Z world » : Téléchargement de Bitchat en hausse à Madagascar". Midi Madagasikara (in French). 1 October 2025. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  13. ^ "Jack Dorsey's Bitchat Explodes in Madagascar as Protesters Ditch Government-Controlled Comms". Cryptonews. 29 September 2025. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  14. ^ "From Discord to Bitchat, tech at the heart of Nepal protests". France 24. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  15. ^ "Nepal Protesters Turn to Jack Dorsey's Peer-to-Peer Messaging App to Circumvent Social Media Ban". Cryptonews. 11 September 2025. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  16. ^ Mary Varghese, Harshita; Singh, Jaspreet; Soni, Aditya (15 January 2026). "Ugandans, Iranians turn to Dorsey's messaging app Bitchat in web crackdowns". Reuters. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  17. ^ "Apple pulls down Jack Dorsey's Bitchat messaging app in China; tells 'protesting developer': It is your responsibility to understand and make sure that ..." The Times of India. 2026-04-06. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  18. ^ a b Singh, Jagmeet (24 July 2026). "India's move against Jack Dorsey's Bitchat sparks legal debate". TechCrunch. Retrieved 26 July 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ Jha, Raj Shekhar (July 23, 2026). "CJP's 'Sansad Chalo' march: Why police may find it tough to trace protesters' messages". The Times Of India. Retrieved 26 July 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ a b "'Substantial risk of misuse by anti-national elements': Government directs GitHub to take down Bluetooth-based Bitchat app". The Times Of India. 24 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ "Govt Blocking of BitChat's Code on GitHub Unconstitutional and Authoritarian: Internet Freedom Foundation". The Wire. 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  22. ^ Bhati, Divya (30 July 2026). "Gen Z protesters used Bitchat, app can be now shared and installed offline". India Today. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  23. ^ "App used in Gen Z protest installed without internet: Bitchat sends messages via Bluetooth; govt asks the company to remove it from Play Store". Bhaskar English. 30 July 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.

Works cited

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