Iranian users started turning to Bitchat, a Bitcoin-inspired messaging application created by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey. All this took place in a context marked by protests, communications restrictions, and widespread internet outages.
The adoption came amid rising tensions in the country. Restrict access to traditional digital services.
According to Amnesty International, an international organization specializing in human rights protection, starting from December 28, 2025, Iranian authorities will They launched a violent crackdown on protesters across the country.involving the unlawful use of force, the use of firearms, and large-scale arbitrary arrests.
From December 31st to January 3rd, At least 28 people have died in 13 cities across eight states.
The Amnesty International team reported on January 8 that Iranian authorities: They imposed an internet and telecommunications blackout.
The group said these measures were aimed at covering up human rights violations during the crackdown on protests that began on December 28, 2025. After a significant devaluation of the currency and rising inflation.
Other sources confirm that internet connectivity in Iran dropped to zero on January 8th.
Applications that do not rely on a central server or persistent connection to a global network tend to be relevant in this scenario.
Digital outages also impact people’s ability to inform themselves, coordinate, and transfer resources, leading to increased interest in alternative tools like Bitchat.
Meanwhile, callebtc, a well-known Bitcoin developer who also participated in the creation of Bitchat, issued a public warning. About the unofficial version circulating in Iran.
He pointed out that closed copies of the software exist. Does not recognize authors, asks for donations, and may spy on users. He clarified that “Bitchat is free and open source” and that “using a closed privacy application is potentially dangerous,” especially in harsh environments.
He also emphasized that developing technology for freedom “comes with responsibility.”
Uganda is already using Bitchat as an anti-censorship tool
A similar phenomenon was reported by CriptoNoticias in Uganda on January 6th. where are the people They turned to Bitch Chat..
Thanks to the situation of connectivity restrictions, such as that observed in Iran and previously in Uganda, Dorsey app usage showed sustained growth.
Since early June last year, the number of global downloads of the application has increased significantly; Today, it’s about 1.4 million to more than 1.5 million.
What is Bitchat?
Bitchat was released in July of the previous year. without relying on centralized infrastructure And I was inspired by Bitcoin.
Its operation is based on the network peer to peer (peer-to-peer), create a mesh network using local communication technologies (such as Bluetooth or direct connections between nearby devices).mesh network).
On top of that, Built-in ability to send Bitcoin (BTC) between usersThat is, transferring digital value without financial intermediaries. This approach positions it as a useful tool in environments where telecommunications and banking services are limited.
(Tag translation) Bitcoin (BTC)
