Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat Gains Traction in Nepal and Indonesia Amid Social Media Crackdowns

Downloads of Jack Dorsey’s decentralized messaging app Bitchat have skyrocketed in Nepal and Indonesia following government-imposed social media bans. Nepal’s blockade of 26 platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp, triggered a 1,400% surge in Bitchat adoption—from 3,300 to 48,781 downloads in days. The app’s offline functionality and account-free access have made it a tool for dissent.

Indonesia saw similar spikes during recent protests, underscoring decentralized technology’s role in circumventing censorship. "Today we're seeing an even bigger spike from Nepal during youth protests over government corruption," noted open-source developer callebtc. Bitchat’s architecture, initially developed by the Twitter co-founder, thrives where trust in authorities erodes.