Jack Dorsey Unveils Decentralized Messaging Service Bitchat
According to Cointelegraph, Block CEO and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has introduced the beta version of Bitchat, a decentralized peer-to-peer messaging service that operates entirely over Bluetooth. Over the weekend, Dorsey shared his experience learning about Bluetooth mesh networks, relays, store and forward models, and message encryption as he announced Bitchat on X. The system, described as having 'IRC vibes,' is reminiscent of early web-based messaging systems from the late 1990s.
Bitchat is a decentralized messaging application that functions over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks, as detailed in Dorsey's white paper. It offers ephemeral, encrypted communication without relying on internet infrastructure, making it resilient to network outages and censorship. The network is fully decentralized, with no central servers, accounts, email addresses, or phone numbers required for registration. Messages exist only in device memory by default and are not stored on a central database, ensuring end-to-end encryption for added security.
Unlike current popular messaging applications like WhatsApp and Messenger, which are operated by centralized, profit-driven corporations such as Meta, Bitchat provides a decentralized alternative. The mesh networking feature allows for automatic multi-hop message relaying, and users can set up room-based chats with hashtag-named group chats and optional password protection. A 'store-and-forward' system caches messages for offline peers for set time periods, enhancing the service's resilience.
Each device in the Bitchat network acts as both a client and a peripheral, creating a self-organizing mesh where messages can hop between devices to reach distant peers. The system operates within a 30-meter Bluetooth range, with bridge nodes connecting separate clusters. Messages are encrypted based on their type—private, room, or broadcast—and large messages are fragmented into smaller 500-byte chunks. Future plans include enabling messaging over WiFi to increase bandwidth for larger messages.
Bitchat's potential use cases include conferences, protests, disaster areas, or any scenario where internet infrastructure is unavailable, unreliable, or untrusted. The white paper concludes that Bitchat demonstrates the feasibility of secure, private messaging without centralized infrastructure. By combining Bluetooth mesh networking, end-to-end encryption, and privacy-preserving protocols, Bitchat offers resilient communication that functions anywhere people gather, regardless of internet availability. Dorsey, who previously served as CEO of Twitter and founded the decentralized social messaging platform Bluesky in 2019, left the Bluesky board in May 2024 without explanation.
