Twitter co-founder and Block Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey has released a public beta of Bitchat, an open-source messaging service that works entirely over Bluetooth mesh networks. The iOS TestFlight build went live on 7 July and immediately hit Apple’s 10,000-user limit, while a technical white paper and source code were posted on GitHub. Bitchat forms ad-hoc Bluetooth Low Energy clusters that store and forward messages from phone to phone, allowing encrypted chats to travel as users move through physical space. Because the protocol avoids central servers, cellular networks, Wi-Fi and even account identifiers, messages remain on devices only and disappear by default. Multi-hop relays can extend effective reach to about 300 metres, and password-protected group rooms are supported. Dorsey describes the project as an experiment aimed at resilient, censorship-resistant communication for situations such as network shutdowns, emergencies or congested events. A forthcoming update is expected to add Wi-Fi Direct to increase speed and range, broadening the mesh beyond Bluetooth limits. Early testers say the mesh can also carry signed Bitcoin transactions offline until they encounter an internet-connected node, underscoring Dorsey’s wider push to pair decentralised communications with decentralised finance. For now, the service remains in closed beta while developers gather feedback ahead of a broader release.