Former Twitter CEO and decentralisation pioneer Jack Dorsey has unveiled a new experimental messaging app called Bitchat, which enables users to communicate without relying on the internet, phone numbers, or central servers. Currently in beta through Apple’s TestFlight platform, the app is accompanied by a technical white paper available on GitHub.
Bitchat uses Bluetooth mesh networking to facilitate peer-to-peer communication. Messages hop from one nearby device to another, forming a dynamic and decentralised network that evolves with user movement. This allows messages to travel across distances even when devices are not directly connected — no internet or mobile signal required.
Built with privacy at its core, the app encrypts all messages and avoids collecting user data. There are no user accounts, login requirements, or identifiers. Messages are ephemeral and disappear after transmission. Password-protected group chats, called “rooms,” are supported, and a “store and forward” model allows users to receive messages when they return online.
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Future updates aim to add Wi-Fi Direct support to enhance connection range and data speed. While Bitchat is still in an experimental phase, its design echoes Dorsey’s commitment to decentralised, censorship-resistant platforms — following in the footsteps of Bluesky and Damus.
The app draws comparisons to Bridgefy, which became popular during the 2019 Hong Kong protests for enabling communication when authorities blocked internet services. Like Bridgefy, Bitchat could prove valuable in crisis zones, rural areas, or environments with restricted connectivity.
Though it’s too early to tell whether Bitchat will achieve mainstream adoption, it marks another step in Dorsey’s ongoing effort to push back against centralised tech and create more resilient, user-controlled platforms.
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