Several Bitcoin advocates are calling for the privacy-centric messaging app, Signal, to integrate Bitcoin payments through a newly launched “Bitcoin for Signal” initiative, which aims to incorporate Bitcoin with the Cashu protocol to facilitate transactions within the app.
@Signalapp should use Bitcoin," Dorsey [posted](https://x.com/jack/status/1978862368797893063) to X, sharing a message from the anonymous Bitcoin developer Cashu, who spearheads the Bitcoin for Signal movement.
The initiative intends to deploy Cashu’s “Chaumian Ecash” technology, enabling private Bitcoin transactions on Signal.
The Bitcoin for Signal website claims that “Bitcoin should have a place in Signal. Cashu ecash allows truly confidential Bitcoin transactions within the most secure messaging application.”
Cashu’s proposal for the integration of Bitcoin into Signal.
Cashu’s proposal for the integration of Bitcoin into Signal. Source: Bitcoin for Signal
The campaign has also garnered support from Bitcoin developer Peter Todd, who advocates for Bitcoin to either replace or expand upon Signal’s current cryptocurrency payment system, MobileCoin (MOB).
“I’ve wanted to experiment with MobileCoin, but it has failed to the point of being unpurchasable. The Signal App must accept reality and include Bitcoin support,” Todd stated via X.
MobileCoin was adopted by Signal in April 2021 but has faced backlash for its centralized structure with a limited group of validators.
Additional endorsements for Bitcoin for Signal have come from the pseudonymous developer Calle and Pavol Rusnak, co-founder of Satoshi Labs.
With Signal boasting approximately 70 million monthly active users, a successful Bitcoin integration could significantly enhance peer-to-peer Bitcoin transactions on the platform.
Dorsey maintains that Bitcoin’s true potential will reside in its use for everyday transactions rather than being limited to a store of value, adhering to Satoshi Nakamoto’s original vision.
Critics Raise Concerns Over Bitcoin’s Privacy Features
Despite the enthusiasm, some critics argue that Bitcoin’s lack of built-in privacy mechanisms makes it a poor fit for integration with a privacy-focused messaging platform.
“Jack, why employ a fully transparent blockchain for private discussions?” questioned Aztec Network engineer José Pedro Sousa.
Techlore, an organization advocating digital rights, contended that Bitcoin’s integration would compromise Signal users’ privacy.
Suggestions for alternatives such as Monero (XMR) and Zcash (ZEC) have also emerged.
While Cashu delivers a privacy-preserving mechanism for Bitcoin, few such applications have achieved widespread success.
EU Might Alter Private Messaging Rules
The push for Bitcoin-compatible private messaging alternatives coincides with the European Union’s deliberations over a contentious “Chat Control” regulation, compelling all messaging platforms, including encrypted applications like Signal and WhatsApp, to surrender private messages to authorities to detect child abuse content, potentially breaching end-to-end encryption standards.
Germany has opposed this proposal, labeling mass scanning of private communications as unconstitutional. A vote has been postponed, with a reevaluation set for early December.
Related: AI-powered wearables are set to change privacy standards
