Nepalis are flocking to the app launched by Dorsey after the temporary social media ban.
Nepal has been the scene of violent demonstrations against government corruption, which pushed tens of thousands of citizens to download the decentralized messaging app Bitchat, developed by Block CEO Jack Dorsey.
The political crisis in Nepal generated over 48,000 downloads in just a few days. According to data shared by developer Calle, the country surged from just 3,344 downloads last Wednesday to 48,781 by Monday — a 1,400% increase that made Nepal Bitchat’s top market worldwide.
The previous week, Indonesia had recorded a similar spike during its own anti-corruption protests, with 11,324 downloads. However, Nepal’s figures are four times higher, underscoring the need for secure communications during political crises.
In Nepal, Bitchat gained popularity thanks to its use of Bluetooth mesh networks for encrypted, offline communications. Launched in beta only two months ago by Dorsey, the app represents a further step forward in the field of decentralized communications.
The Bitchat network operates entirely without central servers, accounts, email addresses, or phone numbers, removing any infrastructure dependency. This decentralized architecture, inspired by Bitcoin principles, allowed Nepali protesters to communicate freely even during the government’s shutdown of traditional social media platforms.
Bitchat’s success in Nepal is directly linked to the government crackdown that hit the country. Authorities temporarily blocked Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube in an effort to curb the spread of anti-government content, triggering mass protests led by Generation Z.
The response of security forces was brutal, with the use of live ammunition and tear gas causing at least 19 deaths and hundreds of injuries. Protesters set fire to Parliament and the Supreme Court, while the government building of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was stormed.
