Block Chief Executive Officer and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey unveiled BitChat on 7 July, releasing a beta version through Apple’s TestFlight and publishing the source code and white paper on GitHub. The peer-to-peer application quickly reached its 10,000-tester limit, signalling strong interest in alternatives to mainstream, internet-dependent services such as WhatsApp. BitChat forms ad-hoc Bluetooth mesh networks in which messages hop from phone to phone, extending effective range to roughly 300 meters without Wi-Fi or cellular coverage. The software uses a store-and-forward model and end-to-end encryption based on the Noise protocol; it requires no phone numbers or email addresses and includes a “panic mode” that erases local data with a triple tap. Dorsey describes the project as an experiment in resilient, censorship-resistant communication that can operate during network outages or in remote areas. Early testers say the mesh can also package Bitcoin transaction data and broadcast it once any relay reconnects to the internet, hinting at potential off-grid payment functionality. The launch extends Dorsey’s broader push toward decentralised platforms, which already includes the Bluesky social-media protocol and backing for open-source Bitcoin tools. He has not provided a commercial roadmap or timetable for a full public release, and the software has yet to undergo an independent security audit.