Twitter co-founder launches beta version of decentralized messaging app Bitchat

Jack Dorsey just dropped something that could quietly reshape how we talk to one another, and it doesn’t need Wi-Fi, data, or even a SIM card.

On July 7, the Twitter co-founder unveiled the beta version of BitChat, a decentralised messaging app that doesn’t rely on the internet. Yes, you read that right. No signal, no problem.

BitChat runs over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks. That means nearby devices can form a peer-to-peer network on the fly, like a human chain passing notes, each phone quietly handing off your message to the next one.

At first glance, it feels like a cool experiment. But beneath the surface, BitChat is more than just a tech demo. It’s a quiet rebellion. And maybe, just maybe, a blueprint for the future of communication. 

What Is BitChat, Really? A Weekend Project That Got Serious

BitChat is a peer-to-peer messaging app that operates without servers, cell towers, or traditional infrastructure. Instead, it uses Bluetooth to pass messages from one phone to another in a self-organising mesh network.

If you’re thinking, that sounds slow, it’s not built for speed. It’s built for resilience. In places where internet access is blocked, expensive, or unavailable — think protest zones, authoritarian regimes, or natural disaster areas — BitChat offers a lifeline. You can message nearby users, and your message can travel from device to device until it gets where it needs to go.

No ISP, big Tech, or cloud storage, but just people connected. Dorsey said the idea started as a weekend side project. He wanted to explore how messages could move without relying on centralised servers. It was an experiment in cryptographic protocols, store-and-forward delivery systems, and privacy-first architecture.

Now it’s grown into something public. BitChat is open-source, lives on GitHub, and is available in beta via Apple’s TestFlight. While it’s still experimental, it’s already showing promise as a new kind of messaging tool. One that’s local, encrypted, and beyond the reach of gatekeepers.

How It Works — No Internet, No Problem

So, how does it actually work?

• BitChat uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to create a mesh network.
• Each phone acts as both a sender and a relay.
• Messages hop from device to device until they reach the recipient.
• If a message can’t be delivered immediately, BitChat uses a store-and-forward system to save and send it later.

That last part is key. It means even if your friend’s phone is off, your message will wait until they’re nearby again. BitChat isn’t meant for high-speed convos or memes. It’s for real-world scenarios where communication needs to persist, even if everything else goes dark.

Privacy at the Core

BitChat isn’t just disconnected. It’s deliberately private. Messages are stored locally, not on any server. They disappear after delivery or after a short time. That minimises digital footprints and makes it harder for your data to be scooped up by third parties.

Here’s how BitChat secures your chats:

• Uses X25519 for private key exchange between devices
• Encrypts messages using AES-256-GCM, a top-tier encryption algorithm
• Group chats (or “rooms”) are password-protected using Argon2id, which makes brute-force attacks harder

In short, even if someone intercepted your message mid-hop, they wouldn’t be able to read it. BitChat is basically saying: You shouldn’t have to trust a company to have a private conversation.

Why It Matters — Especially Now

BitChat isn’t the first mesh messaging app. Others, like Bridgefy and Briar have tried similar things. But Dorsey’s involvement puts this idea into the mainstream spotlightIt also comes at a time when trust in digital communication is fading.

From WhatsApp backdoors to data leaks, people are getting nervous. Add in rising censorship, internet shutdowns, and growing political unrest worldwide, and you start to see the appeal of an app that’s:

• Untrackable
• Uncensorable
   
• Unstoppable

BitChat’s design is rooted in cypherpunk ideals, the idea that privacy is a right, and tools that protect it should be open, simple, and accessible. That’s why it’s open-source, doesn’t use cloud servers, doesn’t care about scale, and is just about freedom.

A Signal from Jack

Dorsey’s launch of BitChat also sends a signal about where his mind is. He’s been gradually stepping away from traditional tech ventures. In 2024, he left the board of Bluesky, the decentralised Twitter alternative he once championed. Since then, he’s poured energy into projects aligned with Bitcoin, decentralisation, and sovereignty.

BitChat fits that mould perfectly. It’s a continuation of his support for the Nostr protocol, a decentralised social media model. It’s a love letter to the early internet, before everything was logged, tracked, and monetised.

With BitChat, Dorsey’s making a bet that local-first, peer-to-peer tools are the next frontier. 

What’s Next for BitChat?

Right now, BitChat is still in beta. It’s only available on iOS through TestFlight, and it requires users to be physically near each other to really work. That’s a feature, not a bug — but it limits widespread adoption for now.

What could improve BitChat in the future?

• Android support
• Improved mesh stability
• Wider message storage support (for longer offline windows)
• More user-friendly onboarding

But even in its early form, it’s turning heads. Developers are already digging through the GitHub repo. Privacy advocates are cheering its mission, and activists in high-risk regions are watching closely.

BitChat doesn’t need to beat WhatsApp or Signal to matter. It just needs to exist, ready to be used when the internet isn’t. In a world increasingly controlled by servers, subscriptions, and surveillance, BitChat is a breath of fresh air. It’s small. It’s clunky as an idea, but it’s bold. It’s a reminder that our devices can talk to each other without permission. It’s also a reminder that Jack Dorsey, one of the architects of modern social media, is now spending his weekends building tools to break it all apart.  Just maybe, that’s exactly what we need.