Messaging App Bitchat Sees Unprecedented Boom Amid Madagascar Turmoil

Protests over repeated water and power cuts have turned violent in Madagascar’s capital, and interest in offline messaging tools has jumped alongside the unrest, according to multiple reports and public signals.

Protests Shake The Capital

Reports have disclosed that crowds took to the streets after days of blackouts and shortages. Authorities imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew to try to stop looting and clashes.

Police used tear gas against some demonstrators and at least five deaths have been linked to the unrest. The pressure on the government was high enough that the Energy minister was removed from office amid the turmoil.

Bitchat Interest Surges

According to analytics cited by tech outlets, searches for the name “Bitchat” in Madagascar moved from 0 to 100 on Google Trends during the same period, a sign of intense relative interest in a short window.

Chrome-Stats figures show 365,307 total downloads of the app since launch, with 21,000 installs reported in the last 24 hours and 71,000 in the past week — numbers that were published as global totals.

According to reports, related queries such as “Bitchat download” and “how to use Bitchat” were marked as breakout topics in the country’s search activity.

Bitchat is a Bluetooth mesh messaging tool that can operate without an internet connection or phone numbers.

Bitchat is tied to the blockchain and uses the Bitcoin network to finalize transactions and allows users to securely send Bitcoin over Bluetooth.

Its design emphasizes privacy through end-to-end encryption, ephemeral messages, and the use of cryptocurrency wallets as an alternative to traditional identifiers like phone numbers.

These technical features showcase usefulness when internet service is limited or when individuals fear a disruption in their networks. Observers noted that there was a heightened level of local interest when protests, and curfews were in place.

According to DataReportal, at the start of 2025, only 6.6 million of nearly 32 million residents in Madagascar are online. The data highlights the digital divide facing Madagascar, as limited access to information and economic opportunity limit progress.

The report further indicates that over 18 million mobile subscriptions are active, and many rely on voice calling and SMS which does not mean access to the full internet, again reflecting issues with access and affordability in Madagascar.

Featured image from AFP, chart from TradingView