Nepal's Protesters Turn to Bitchat to Bypass Censorship, Drive 39% of Global Downloads

Bitchat, Jack Dorsey’s decentralized messaging application, saw a significant surge in adoption in Nepal, with 48,781 downloads recorded during a period of heightened political unrest in the country. The spike in usage occurred as the government imposed broad social media restrictions and protesters sought alternative means of communication to circumvent censorship. This figure accounted for approximately 39% of the app’s global downloads, which reached 125,486 by early September 2025.

The political crisis that preceded the rise in Bitchat downloads was one of the most severe in Nepal in decades. It resulted in at least 30 deaths and led to the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. The unrest was driven by widespread public frustration over systemic corruption and the perceived privilege of elite families, often referred to in media as the “Nepo Kids.” Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Nepal 107th out of 180 countries, reflecting the nation’s long-standing governance challenges.

Bitchat’s unique architecture has made it a valuable tool for protesters and activists. Unlike traditional messaging platforms, the app operates using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks, allowing communication to occur without reliance on internet infrastructure. Messages are encrypted and relayed through a chain of nearby devices, enabling continued communication during internet shutdowns. This feature has proven especially useful in environments with restricted digital access.

The app also includes the ability to relay pre-signed Bitcoin transactions across its mesh network, offering users an additional layer of financial autonomy in a country where crypto use is otherwise banned. Bitchat was developed by Dorsey as a decentralized alternative for coordination during emergencies and censorship events. Features such as random peer IDs for each session, an emergency wipe function activated by a triple tap, and command-line interfaces for topic-based chat rooms further enhance its utility for privacy-focused communication.

The trend of adopting decentralized messaging platforms is not exclusive to Nepal. Similar spikes in Bitchat downloads were recorded in Indonesia and Russia during periods of political tension. In Indonesia, 12,581 downloads were reported in August 2025 amid protests over police violence and parliamentary allowances, while Russia saw 8,749 downloads during similar unrest. The United States also accounted for 8,211 downloads, indicating global interest in censorship-resistant communication tools.

The growing adoption of Bitchat reflects a broader shift toward “freedom tech” solutions in response to state-imposed digital restrictions. As governments increasingly regulate online spaces, decentralized and peer-to-peer communication tools are emerging as critical lifelines for activists, particularly among younger populations. This trend underscores the ongoing tension between digital privacy and state control, with technology serving as both a battleground and a beacon for open discourse.