Bitchat, a groundbreaking peer-to-peer messaging tool developed by Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter and Block, operates solely over Bluetooth Low Energy mesh networks; no servers, phone numbers, or internet are needed. The programme allows for password-protected “rooms,” encrypted, and transient communications, as well as a ground-breaking Panic Mode that instantaneously deletes all data with a triple tap. Messages travel up to 300 metres through a mesh of devices, outperforming Bridgefy and other comparable solutions.
Still in exclusive beta via Apple TestFlight (hit its 10,000‑tester limit), Bitchat already draws comparisons to tech used by protestors in Hong Kong and is seen as a censorship-resistant lifeline during network outages. Future updates aim to integrate Wi‑Fi Direct, improving speed, range, and supporting images or larger data.
With no accounts or data collection, end-to-end encryption, and local message storage that auto-expires, Bitchat represents a new frontier in resilient, privacy-first communication—ideal for outdoor events, disaster zones, and regions with unreliable or censored internet.
