Jack Dorsey’s decentralized messaging app Bitchat has seen a sharp spike in searches and downloads in Madagascar after protests erupted last week in the capital, Antananarivo, over widespread water and electricity outages.
The unrest, which began Thursday, quickly spread to other parts of the country. Some protests turned violent, leading to clashes with police and reports of looting. In response, authorities imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew and dismissed the country’s energy minister.
Bitchat climbs Google Trends
According to data shared by open-source Bitcoin developer callebtc, downloads of Bitchat jumped significantly in Madagascar over the weekend. While specific numbers were not disclosed, Google Trends showed searches for “Bitchat” skyrocketing from zero to peak popularity (100) on Friday. Related queries such as “Bitchat download” and “how to use Bitchat” were flagged as “breakout topics,” signaling massive increases in activity.
Chrome-Stats data indicates that Bitchat has been downloaded over 365,000 times since launch, with more than 71,000 installs in the past week alone. However, the breakdown by region remains unclear.
Searches related to Bitchat have spiked since protests began in Madagascar. Source: Google
The Madagascar surge mirrors previous waves of downloads in Nepal and Indonesia, where citizens turned to the encrypted platform amid protests and social media restrictions tied to government crackdowns.
Blackouts spark unrest in one of the world’s poorest nations
Madagascar, home to nearly 32 million people, faces deep infrastructure challenges. Only 6.6 million residents had internet access at the start of 2025, according to DataReportal, though the country counted 18 million active mobile connections. Many of these connections are limited to voice and SMS services, meaning decentralized, internet-free platforms like Bitchat may play an outsized role during crises.
Bitchat, launched in July by Twitter and Block co-founder Jack Dorsey, enables encrypted messaging through Bluetooth mesh networks without requiring SIM cards, accounts, or central servers. This makes it a valuable tool for communication during internet shutdowns or state censorship.
EU push for “Chat Control” raises global privacy concerns
The rise of Bitchat comes as the European Union debates its controversial “Chat Control” law, which would require platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal to scan private messages before encryption. Fifteen EU nations currently back the proposal, but it still falls short of the threshold needed for passage, with Germany holding a decisive vote.
Crypto and Web3 advocates warn that such legislation could drive users away from traditional apps and toward decentralized, censorship-resistant platforms like Bitchat.