Bitchat, a P2P chat app created by the founder of Twitter, has been removed from the Chinese App Store.



Bitchat , a peer- to-peer encrypted messaging app developed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey and Block , has reportedly been removed from the Chinese App Store.




bitchat is a chat app that enables P2P encrypted messaging by connecting devices via Bluetooth to create a mesh network. Because communication is done via Bluetooth, you can chat without connecting to a mobile network or Wi-Fi. No account registration or phone number verification is required, and communication can be done with locations more than 300 meters away using Bluetooth relay connections.

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey is developing 'bitchat,' a chat app that uses Bluetooth for peer-to-peer communication, allowing users to communicate without creating an account or connecting to Wi-Fi or mobile networks - GIGAZINE



Bitchat is gaining popularity in Uganda, where the government has shut down internet access, because it allows users to exchange messages with others nearby even without an internet connection.

In Uganda, where the government has blocked the internet, P2P chat apps like 'bitchat' and VPN apps are extremely popular - GIGAZINE



Dorsey, the developer of bitchat, has revealed that bitchat has been removed from the Chinese App Store. Dorsey received an email from Apple on February 28, 2026, and posted a screenshot of it on X. In the email, Apple explained the reason for the removal, stating, 'We would like to inform you about your app. At the request of the China National Internet Information Office (CAC), it will be removed from the Chinese App Store. The reason is that it contains content that is illegal in China and does not comply with the App Review Guidelines .'



Furthermore, CAC explained that bitchat violates Article 3 of the 'Security Evaluation Regulations for Internet Information Services with Public Opinion Attributes or Social Mobilization Capabilities,' which are security review rules imposed on internet services in China.

Apple further explained, 'Apps must meet the legal requirements of all regions where they are offered. We understand this area is complex, but it is the developer's responsibility to understand and ensure that they comply not only with guidelines but also with local laws,' thus stating that it is the developer's responsibility to meet the legal requirements of each region.

Bitchat was only removed from the Chinese App Store, so as of the time of writing, you can still install the app without any problems from the Japanese App Store.

bitchat mesh App - App Store
https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/bitchat-mesh/id6748219622



The source code for bitchat is publicly available on GitHub.

GitHub - permissionlesstech/bitchat: bluetooth mesh chat, IRC vibes · GitHub
https://github.com/permissionlesstech/bitchat



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in Software,   Smartphone, Posted by logu_ii