Jack Dorsey’s decentralized messaging app Bitchat has been removed from Apple’s App Store in China after regulators said it broke local internet rules.
Dorsey confirmed that the app was taken down back in February after Apple received a request from the Cyberspace Administration of China.
According to Chinese authorities, Bitchat violated rules that apply to apps capable of influencing public opinion or organizing people socially. Under these rules, such apps must go through a security review before being allowed to operate.
Apple said developers are responsible for making sure their apps follow the laws in every country where they are available. Because of that, the app was removed from the China App Store—but it’s still available in other parts of the world.
Despite the ban, Bitchat continues to grow. The app has already been downloaded more than three million times, and people keep using it, especially in places where internet access is restricted.
Its popularity comes from one key feature: it’s decentralized. That means people can still communicate even during internet shutdowns, which makes it useful during protests or political unrest—but also puts it in conflict with countries that tightly control online activity.
In simple terms, the app is doing well globally, but its very strength—free and open communication—is exactly why it’s facing restrictions in places like China.
