Tech giant Apple has removed Bitchat, a decentralized peer-to-peer messaging app developed by Block CEO Jack Dorsey, from its Chinese app store at the request of Beijing’s internet regulator, Dorsey revealed in an X post on Sunday.
China’s Cyberspace Administration of China argued that the app violated regulations governing online services with “public opinion or social mobilization functions,” which require a security assessment before release.
Apple’s app review team told Dorsey that the App Store listing and TestFlight beta will no longer be available in China, but the app will remain accessible in other countries.
Bitchat operates entirely over Bluetooth and mesh networks, requiring no internet connection, a design that makes it functionally impossible for governments to block via traditional internet shutdowns or firewall filtering.
This architecture has made it a go-to tool during recent protests in Madagascar, Uganda, Nepal, Indonesia and Iran, where authorities have sought to restrict internet access to stifle dissent.
The app has been downloaded more than 3 million times across platforms, with more than 92,000 downloads in the past week alone, but no regional breakdown was provided. The Google Play Store alone shows over 1 million registered downloads.