Jack Dorsey has launched a new messaging app called Bitchat that works without internet, using Bluetooth to send encrypted messages. Photos/X.
Jack Dorsey, Tthe co-founder of Twitter now X, and CEO of Block, is coming up with a new messaging app called Bitchat that reportedly works without an internet connection.
Bitchat uses Bluetooth technology to allow users to send encrypted messages directly to nearby devices unlike the most of the messaging apps.
Dorsey announced on Sunday that the beta version of Bitchat is now available on TestFlight, accompanied by a detailed white paper published on GitHub. The app functions on a peer-to-peer basis using Bluetooth mesh networks, eliminating the need for internet access, central servers, phone numbers, or email addresses, according to CNBC.
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In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Dorsey described Bitchat as a “personal experiment exploring Bluetooth mesh networks, relays and store and forward models, message encryption models, and a few other things.” The app enables nearby devices to form local Bluetooth groups that can send encrypted messages to one another. As users move, their phones connect with others nearby to relay messages beyond normal Bluetooth range, functioning without Wi-Fi or cellular networks.
Bitchat is designed primarily for short-distance messaging. It offers encrypted and temporary message sharing, with messages stored only on users’ devices and disappearing by default. Unlike apps like WhatsApp, Bitchat messages never pass through central servers, reflecting Dorsey’s emphasis on privacy and resistance to censorship.
The app supports group chats known as “rooms,” which can be named using hashtags and protected with passwords. It also includes a feature to save messages and deliver them later if a recipient is offline. In th euocoming updates Bitchat will likely add WiFi Direct which will help in enhancing both speed and range of message transmission.
According to reports, the design of Bitchat is similar to Bluetooth apps used during the 2019 Hong Kong protests. The app aims to maintain communication during internet shutdowns or government surveillance. Reports say that the app aligns with Dorsey’s ongoing projects such as Damus and Bluesky.
Unlike WhatsApp or Messenger, which require user accounts and collect personal data, Bitchat is fully peer-to-peer and does not ask for any account creation or identifiers.
Following Dorsey’s announcement, all 10,000 beta testing spots for Bitchat were quickly filled. Alongside the beta release, he shared links to the GitHub project page and an “ugly whitepaper describing protocol.” He noted on X that the app is currently undergoing review prior to its official launch.
It remains uncertain whether Bitchat will gain widespread adoption or remain primarily a tool for technically inclined users. For context, Jack Dorsey is also CEO of Block, a financial technology company he co-founded.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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