Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat: The Offline Chat App That Could Disrupt Messaging

What Is Bitchat?

Bitchat is a new messaging app launched in July 2025 by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. It’s unlike anything you’ve used before: it works entirely over Bluetooth, doesn’t need the internet, and doesn’t even ask for your phone number.

This isn’t a crypto app or a blockchain stunt. It’s a purely peer-to-peer messenger, built on privacy, decentralization, and local connectivity.

How Bitchat Works Without the Internet

Bitchat uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networking to send messages directly between nearby devices. Messages are relayed from phone to phone, like a digital game of telephone—no Wi-Fi, SIM card, or mobile towers required.

• No servers involved
• No accounts or logins
• Messages disappear after delivery
• Encryption: Curve25519 + AES-GCM

It’s like a walkie-talkie, but encrypted, smart, and scalable across hundreds of users.

Why Bitchat Is a Revolutionary Platform 

Built for Censorship Resistance

Whether it’s political protests, natural disasters, or remote villages, Bitchat works where WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal fail.

No Personal Data Required

There’s no email, phone number, or SIM card needed. You just open the app and start messaging nearby users.

Zero Infrastructure Dependency

No central servers means no outages, no tracking, and no surveillance risk. The app exists only on your device—and nearby ones.

What Features Does Bitchat Offer?

Bonus: The source code and protocol documentation are already available on GitHub, allowing devs to build or fork their own versions.

Who Should Use Bitchat?

This app isn’t aimed at everyone. But if you fall into one of these categories, it might be exactly what you need:

• Activists: Share messages securely in high-risk zones.
• Travelers: Stay in touch without relying on foreign SIMs.
• Event Organizers: Use it at large events with network congestion.
• Developers: Experiment with a fully decentralized protocol.
• Educators in rural areas: Enable communication without data costs.

Where Can You Get It?

• Currently in Beta: Bitchat is available to iOS users through Apple TestFlight, but all 10,000 slots were filled in the first day.
• Open Protocol: The whitepaper and technical specs are on GitHub.
• Android Version: Not yet released, but the protocol is cross-platform.

The Vision Behind Bitchat

Jack Dorsey has long advocated for protocol-based platforms instead of closed ecosystems. With Bitchat, he’s building an example of what communication can look like without Big Tech, servers, or surveillance.

It revives old internet ideals: freedom, decentralization, and transparency.

Known Limitations

Every radical tool has trade-offs. Bitchat is no exception.

• Limited Range: Bluetooth mesh maxes out around 300 meters in ideal conditions.
• Battery Use: BLE scanning can drain power in older phones.
• Apple Restrictions: iOS doesn’t allow full background mesh networking, limiting passive reception.

Still, upcoming updates plan to introduce Wi-Fi Direct for broader mesh capabilities.

Final Word: Is Bitchat the Future of Messaging?

Bitchat won’t replace WhatsApp or iMessage overnight. But it introduces a new category of messaging: serverless, offline, and fully private.

For those seeking alternatives to centralized platforms—or just curious about what messaging can look like without the internet—Bitchat is worth watching.