Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman said Saturday that Block’s decentralized messaging app Bitchat could be a useful communication tool in censored environments like Iran.
Can Bitchat Revolutionize Messaging In Iran?
Ackman reacted to an X post about Bitchat, a peer-to-peer messaging application developed by Jack Dorsey’s Block that can deliver messages over Bluetooth.
“Bitchat may be useful in Iran,” The Pershing Square Capital Management CEO
Iran imposed a nationwide internet shutdown in the wake of massive anti-regime protests that intensified in the opening weeks of 2026. The ban limited reporting on fatalities, leading to conflicting accounts.
Several X users agreed with Ackman’s thoughts on Bitchat, while Ouriel said that a person will still require an internet connection to download the application.
Cloned Apps Not Up To The Mark
According to the white paper, Bitchat provides “ephemeral messaging,” meaning that messages are stored only in the device’s memory and not on any central database. The system operates within a 30-meter Bluetooth range, using bridge nodes to link separate clusters.
Interestingly, the app can also be used to send Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC). A Bitchat clone was recently launched for Iranian users, but a developer linked to the original platform flagged multiple issues with it.
Image via Shutterstock/tanitost
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