Jack Dorsey launches Bitchat, a Bluetooth messaging app without the Internet

• Jack Dorsey launches decentralized, offline messaging app
• Bitchat uses Bluetooth for private, internet-free communication
• Encrypted and traceless messages ensure greater privacy

Twitter founder and digital decentralization advocate Jack Dorsey has released a white paper for Bitchat, a new messaging platform built to operate without any internet connection. The proposal relies on mesh networks using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to create a fully offline peer-to-peer system with a focus on security, anonymity, and censorship resistance.

✉️ Jack Dorsey launches Bitchat: decentralized messaging without internet

Jack Dorsey has launched Bitchat, a decentralized messaging app that works without internet access using Bluetooth mesh networks.

According to the white paper, the system allows devices to communicate… pic.twitter.com/Jvw8JFc0Eb

Bitchat was designed to work in situations where traditional connectivity fails, such as emergencies or locations without network coverage. Using a store-and-forward architecture, the system allows each device to act as both a client and a server at the same time, relaying messages over multiple hops between nearby nodes, which expands the range beyond the physical limits of Bluetooth.

Devices communicate via a custom BLE protocol that uses a shared service UUID to locate nearby devices within a 30-meter radius. Once connected, they form temporary mesh hubs where messages are end-to-end encrypted and stored only in the device’s memory — eliminating the need for centralized servers or persistent data.

One of Bitchat's highlights is its intelligent caching system. Messages intended for temporarily offline devices are kept for up to 12 hours, with the exception of favorite contacts, whose messages can be stored indefinitely until the next connection to the network.

The platform also moves away from conventional digital identification methods, dispensing with emails, phone numbers or any fixed data. Conversations can take place in optional password-protected rooms and are authenticated with digital signatures to validate senders without compromising privacy.

According to the white paper, Bitchat demonstrates that secure communication can exist even in environments without infrastructure, promoting freedom and privacy. The proposal combines mesh network technology with modern encryption protocols, offering a real and functional alternative to centralized messaging systems.