Jack Dorsey, Supporters Urge Signal to Integrate Bitcoin via Cashu Ecash as Experts Warn Privacy Risks

Published: 2025-10-17 · Updated: 2025-10-17 · Author: COINOTAG

• Integrates BTC privately via Cashu ecash:

• Promoted by Bitcoin advocates including Jack Dorsey and developers such as Peter Todd and Calle.

• Signal’s ~70 million monthly users could enable large-scale peer-to-peer Bitcoin transfers if adopted.

Bitcoin for Signal: Learn how Cashu ecash could enable private BTC payments inside Signal—read the analysis and implications for privacy and funding. Learn more on COINOTAG.

What is Bitcoin for Signal and how would it work?

Bitcoin for Signal is a grassroots campaign urging Signal to add Bitcoin payments via the Cashu Chaumian ecash protocol. The proposal would let users send BTC privately off‑chain inside the app, using BTC‑backed ecash tokens to avoid exposing transactions on Bitcoin’s public ledger.

How does Cashu’s Chaumian ecash propose to preserve privacy?

Cashu’s design uses Chaumian ecash principles to create BTC‑backed tokens that can be issued and redeemed without on‑chain linkage. In practice, users exchange BTC for ecash tokens held by a custodial or federated mint; tokens circulate privately and can be spent without immediate blockchain transactions. Proponents argue this masks the sender, recipient and amounts from public blockchain observers. Critics counter that ecash systems require rigorous, real‑world testing for security, stability and resistance to deanonymization techniques.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will adding Bitcoin payments via Cashu make Signal financially independent?

Adding BTC payments could provide a steady revenue stream from voluntary tips and micropayments, reducing reliance on donations and grants. However, adoption rates, regulatory constraints and implementation costs will determine whether payments meaningfully change Signal’s funding model.

Is Bitcoin the right choice for privacy-minded messaging apps?

Bitcoin’s public blockchain is transparent by design, which raises privacy concerns for direct on‑chain transfers. Cashu advocates say ecash can mitigate those concerns. Others recommend privacy coins or established privacy layers. Any integration must weigh technical tradeoffs and long‑term risks.

Background and reporting

On X, Cashu developers described the campaign and Jack Dorsey reposted the announcement, commenting, “@signalapp should use Bitcoin.” Prominent figures—including Bitcoin developer Peter Todd, Satoshi Labs co‑founder Pavol Rusnak and Cashu developer Calle—expressed public support. Peter Todd criticized Signal’s earlier experiment with MobileCoin, calling it poorly accessible and centralized. Signal previously tested MobileCoin in April 2021.

Signal reports roughly 70 million monthly active users, which analysts say could make it one of the largest platforms for private peer‑to‑peer Bitcoin payments if even a fraction adopt in‑app transfers.

Privacy and security concerns from experts

Privacy researchers and digital rights advocates raise objections. José Pedro Sousa of Aztec Network questioned using a fully public blockchain for private chat payments, asking whether Bitcoin’s transparency suits Signal’s mission. Techlore and other digital rights groups highlighted potential new attack surfaces and operational risks if payments introduce metadata linkage between messaging and financial activity. Developers note privacy coins like Monero and Zcash implement privacy at the protocol level, while ecash solutions such as Cashu require careful cryptographic and operational audits to be safe at scale.

Technical and operational trade-offs

Supporters say Cashu would enable fast, private transfers without spamming the Bitcoin blockchain, using mint operators to issue and redeem tokens. Opponents point to centralization risks if mint operators are small in number, potential legal and compliance challenges for custodial services, and the long timeline needed to mature novel ecash primitives. Security researchers emphasize multi‑year testing, transparent audits and phased rollouts to reduce risk.

Key Takeaways

• Privacy-first payments: Cashu ecash is proposed to enable private BTC transfers without on‑chain exposure.
• High-profile backing: The campaign has visible supporters—Jack Dorsey, Peter Todd and other developers—raising public attention.
• Significant risks: Experts warn of privacy trade‑offs, centralization and the need for extensive security testing before mainstream deployment.

Conclusion

The Bitcoin for Signal movement proposes a technically novel path to embed private Bitcoin payments in a widely used encrypted messenger. While proponents argue Cashu’s Chaumian ecash can align BTC with Signal’s privacy goals and offer new funding options, privacy researchers and blockchain engineers urge caution—calling for robust audits, large‑scale testing and careful governance before any integration. COINOTAG will continue monitoring developments and reporting verified updates.

Sources and expert quotes

Reported statements and context are drawn from public posts by Cashu developers, Jack Dorsey (X), comments from Peter Todd, Pavol Rusnak, and quotes from José Pedro Sousa (Aztec Network) and digital rights groups such as Techlore. Relevant project names: Cashu protocol, Chaumian ecash, MobileCoin, Monero, Zcash. Official user figures for Signal (≈70 million monthly active users) are included in industry reporting.