Block CEO Jack Dorsey Launches Bitchat Decentralized Messaging Service

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. This innovative application leverages Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks to enable encrypted communication without the need for an internet connection. Dorsey shared his enthusiasm for the project on X, detailing his weekend spent learning about Bluetooth mesh networks, relays, store and forward models, message encryption models, and other related technologies.

According to the white paper released by Dorsey, Bitchat is a decentralized messaging application that provides ephemeral, encrypted communication. This makes it resilient to network outages and censorship. The system is fully decentralized, with no central servers, accounts, email addresses, phone numbers to register, or infrastructure dependencies. Messages exist only in device memory by default and are not stored on a central database, ensuring an extra layer of security through end-to-end encryption.

Bitchat's architecture supports automatic multi-hop message relaying through mesh networking, enabling room-based chat with hashtag-named group chats and optional password protection. A "store-and-forward" system caches messages for offline peers for set time periods, ensuring that communication remains uninterrupted even in the absence of an internet connection. Each device acts as both client and peripheral, creating a self-organizing mesh where messages can hop between devices to reach distant peers. The system uses a 30-meter Bluetooth range with bridge nodes connecting separate clusters.

Messages are encrypted based on whether they are private, in a room, or broadcast, and large messages are fragmented into smaller 500-byte chunks. Future plans include enabling messaging over WiFi, which will increase the bandwidth for large messages. The system has several use cases, such as conferences, protests, disaster areas, or any scenario where internet infrastructure is unavailable, unreliable, or untrusted.

Dorsey's involvement in messaging protocols is not new; he served as the CEO of Twitter and founded the decentralized social messaging platform Bluesky in 2019. He left the Bluesky board without explanation in May 2024. The launch of Bitchat demonstrates Dorsey's continued interest in decentralized communication technologies and his commitment to providing secure, private messaging solutions that do not rely on centralized infrastructure. By combining Bluetooth mesh networking, end-to-end encryption, and privacy-preserving protocols, Bitchat offers resilient communication that works anywhere people gather, regardless of internet availability.