Block CEO and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has unveiled the beta version of Bitchat, a decentralized, peer-to-peer messaging service operating entirely over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks.

Dorsey announced the project, joking about spending his weekend learning “Bluetooth mesh networks, relays, store and forward models, message encryption models, and a few other things,” as he promoted Bitchat via X on July 2. He noted the system possesses “IRC vibes,” drawing a nostalgic parallel to the early web-based messaging systems of the late 1990s.

Completely Decentralized and Private

According to the provided white paper, Bitchat operates on a fully decentralized network, lacking any central servers, registration requirements (no accounts, email addresses, phone numbers), or dependency on centralized infrastructure.

The application emphasizes ephemeral messaging, meaning messages default to existing only in device memory, never being stored on central databases. End-to-end encryption provides an additional security layer.

Dorsey positions Bitchat as an alternative to dominant centralized platforms like WhatsApp and Messenger, owned by corporations such as Meta. These companies leverage user and message data as a core part of their business model.

Furthermore, Bitchat incorporates automatic multi-hop message relaying through its mesh network, group chats identifiable by hashtags and password protection, and a “store-and-forward” system that caches messages for offline peers.

Speaking to concerns about privacy in messaging, a recent Cointelegraph report highlighted that some popular social messaging apps had recently been accused of snooping on users and collecting personal data.

Bluetooth Relays Enable Message Hopping

Each device functions dualistically as both an initiating client and a peripheral relay, enabling a self-organizing network where messages propagate between devices to reach remote participants. The default Bluetooth range extends approximately 30 meters, with bridge nodes facilitating connectivity between separate mesh clusters.

Security features include granular encryption based on message type (private, room, broadcast) and fragmentation of large messages into 500-byte chunks. Future development aims to incorporate mesh networking over Wi-Fi to support larger message transfers.

Multiple Use Cases

The system’s architecture points to several scenarios beneficial for Bitchat: functioning as an offline communication tool suitable for conferences, protests, natural disaster regions, or any environment where internet infrastructure is unreliable or untrusted.

“By combining Bluetooth mesh networking, end-to-end encryption, and privacy-preserving protocols, Bitchat provides resilient communication that works anywhere people gather, regardless of internet availability.”

Dorsey himself has a track record in messaging protocols, launching the decentralized BlueSky platform in 2019 while still at Twitter. He subsequently stepped down from the BlueSky board without explanation in May 2024.