The app is designed to work without internet access, relying instead on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks for peer-to-peer communication.
Bitchat is a privacy-first chat platform built on a store-and-forward architecture using BLE.
Bitchat operates across BLE mesh networks, allowing users to communicate securely within physical range. According to its white paper, each device serves as a client and server, relaying messages between users in a decentralized fashion.
This multi-hop design expands communication beyond the direct Bluetooth range, making it possible to reach offline or distant devices through nearby nodes.
Bitchat uses a custom BLE mesh protocol that lets devices scan for others within a 30-meter radius using a shared service UUID. Once discovered, they connect and create temporary mesh hubs. Messages are encrypted end-to-end and exist only in device memory by default, ensuring security and ephemerality.
Meanwhile, the platform also features a store-and-forward system.
Bitchat caches messages sent to temporarily offline devices, with tiered retention windows: 12 hours for regular peers and indefinite storage for selected favorites. Once those devices reconnect to the mesh, they automatically retrieve any stored messages.
Bitchat’s structure eliminates the need for phone numbers, emails, or permanent identifiers. It offers room-based messaging for group chats, complete with optional password protection.
Communication is encrypted at multiple levels, and digital signatures are used to authenticate messages.
The whitepaper concluded:
“bitchat demonstrates that secure, private messaging is possible without centralized infrastructure. By combining Bluetooth mesh networking, end-to-end encryption, and privacy-preserving protocols, bitchat provides resilient communication that works anywhere people gather, regardless of internet availability.”
