Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter and current CEO of Block, launched a new messaging app that doesn’t need the internet. Called Bitchat, the app uses Bluetooth mesh networking to let users exchange messages directly without relying on mobile data, Wi-Fi, servers or even phone numbers.

“A personal experiment exploring Bluetooth mesh networks, relays, message encryption models, and a few other things," Jack Dorsey posted on X (formerly Twitter), announcing the beta version of the app, now available via TestFlight.

What Is Bitchat And How Is It Built For Off-the-Grid Communication?

Unlike WhatsApp or Messenger, Bitchat is fully peer-to-peer and account-free. Messages are encrypted, temporary by default and never touch a central server. Devices within 300 metres of each other can pass messages along the network, even reaching people outside direct Bluetooth range as users move. This means messaging can continue in areas with poor connectivity or full internet shutdowns, echoing tools used during the 2019 Hong Kong protests.

Jack Dorsey’s Focus: Privacy First, Big Tech Last

Jack Dorsey’s recent ventures- including decentralized social media app Damus and the Bluesky protocol- have all leaned into digital sovereignty and privacy. Bitchat follows suit, offering features like password-protected group chats (“rooms"), delayed delivery for offline users and soon WiFi Direct support for longer distances and faster speeds. Messages are stored only on users’ phones and disappear over time, with no data collection or identifiers required.

The app’s release aligns with Jack Dorsey’s broader goal of building decentralized, censorship-resistant technologies. In a whitepaper released alongside the beta, Bitchat is described as, “A decentralised, peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks… resilient to network outages and censorship."

Within hours of launch, all 10,000 beta slots were claimed. Jack Dorsey also shared links to the app’s GitHub repository and a draft protocol paper calling it “ugly" but necessary.