Jack Dorsey Launches BitChat App to Enable Encrypted Messaging Without Internet or Servers

Highlights:

• Jack Dorsey has launched BitChat to enable secure Bluetooth messaging without internet or phone network access.
• BitChat uses mesh networks and encryption to send messages across nearby devices without storing user data.
• The system breaks larger messages into 500-byte fragments to allow smooth transmission across Bluetooth networks.

Jack Dorsey has released the beta version of a decentralized messaging application known as BitChat, which runs without internet connectivity. Its protocol runs on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks where nearby devices can establish direct communication channels. Dorsey described the system as having “IRC vibes.”

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my weekend project to learn about bluetooth mesh networks, relays and store and forward models, message encryption models, and a few other things.

bitchat: bluetooth mesh chat…IRC vibes.

TestFlight: https://t.co/P5zRRX0TB3
GitHub: https://t.co/Yphb3Izm0P pic.twitter.com/yxZxiMfMH2

— jack (@jack) July 6, 2025

BitChat now offers a tool for secure messaging in areas with limited or no online connectivity. The app enables devices within a 30-meter range to send messages by hopping between nodes. Each device acts as both a sender and a relay, making it possible to forward messages across multiple devices until they reach their destination.

This feature allows BitChat to work in disconnected environments such as protests, natural disasters, or conferences. The app supports peer-to-peer communication without using SIM cards, email addresses, or centralized servers.

How BitChat App Ensures Privacy and Secure Messaging

BitChat places a strong emphasis on privacy and secure communication. The program saves messages to a memory on a device and removes the messages once the messages are delivered or after some period of time. This mitigates the possibility of undesired data leakage and keeps the system in line with its privacy-first philosophy.

Users are enabled to organize chats within the rooms based on the names of the hashtags, and they can even enable password security. The app provides broadcast, group, and individual messages based on the needs of the user. BitChat uses several encryption layers to ensure the safety of message content. In the case of secret conversations, it employs the X25519 key exchange system, which securely transfers the encryption keys across devices. The messages become encrypted with AES-256-GCM, an algorithm of high speed and reliability, as soon as they are exchanged.

The app secures group chat passwords with Argon2id and blocks brute-force attacks. The system also breaks larger messages into 500-byte fragments to allow smooth transmission across Bluetooth networks.

BitChat also includes a “store-and-forward” system, which stores messages temporarily for devices that are offline. Devices automatically retrieve cached messages as soon as they reconnect. This maintains persistent communication even as users go in and out of network range. BitChat is not tied to phone numbers, emails, or any personal data, so users can stay anonymous and free of tracking.

Open Access and Expansion Plans

Users can now download the beta version of the BitChat app via Apple TestFlight. Moreover, developers can access and improve BitChat’s open-source code on GitHub. Dorsey affirmed that this project is still experimental and can change with time. Despite BitChat currently using Bluetooth, programmers intend to also include WiFi support. Such an update would widen its scope and enlarge the number of messages that it is able to accommodate.

Block, a company co-founded by Jack, recently launched a Bitcoin payment system on Square that will allow businesses to accept Bitcoin directly through Square hardware without additional devices.

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