Campaign Could Bring Bitcoin Payments to Signal, Backed by Jack Dorsey and Peter Todd

• Campaign asks Signal to add Bitcoin payments using Cashu’s Chaumian Ecash for privacy-focused transfers.

• High-profile supporters include Jack Dorsey and developer Peter Todd; critics cite base-layer privacy concerns.

• Signal’s user base (~70 million monthly active users) could make peer-to-peer Bitcoin payments materially significant.

Will Signal adopt Bitcoin? COINOTAG explains the “Bitcoin for Signal” push, its Cashu tech, debate over privacy, and next steps for integration — read more.

By COINOTAG • Published: 2025-10-17 • Updated: 2025-10-17

Will Signal adopt Bitcoin?

Signal adopt Bitcoin has become the central question after a new “Bitcoin for Signal” campaign proposed integrating Bitcoin payments using the Cashu Chaumian Ecash protocol. The initiative, supported by figures such as Jack Dorsey and Peter Todd, aims to enable private, in-app Bitcoin transactions for Signal’s large user base.

How would Cashu enable private Bitcoin payments inside Signal?

Cashu implements a Chaumian Ecash construction that issues blind-signed Bitcoin redeemable tokens to preserve sender and receiver privacy. The protocol separates custody of on-chain settlement from off-chain token transfers to hide linkage between transaction origin and spending. Proponents argue this approach retains Bitcoin’s settlement security while adding privacy at the application layer.

Several Bitcoin developers and advocates have publicly endorsed the campaign. Jack Dorsey posted on X urging Signal to adopt Bitcoin, echoing a message from the pseudonymous Cashu developer behind the initiative. Peter Todd, a Bitcoin developer, criticized Signal’s existing MobileCoin integration and suggested Bitcoin support would better serve users who want mainstream crypto compatibility. Pseudonymous developer Calle and Pavol Rusnak (Satoshi Labs co-founder) also voiced support.

Cashu’s pitch for Signal to adopt Bitcoin. Source: Bitcoin for Signal

Signal added MobileCoin (MOB) as a built-in payment method in April 2021, a decision that remains controversial because critics say MobileCoin’s validator set and architectural choices create centralization and availability concerns. The “Bitcoin for Signal” campaign argues that Cashu-backed Bitcoin payments would provide a more open, widely supported asset while preserving user privacy at the application level.

Supporters emphasize real-world payments: Jack Dorsey has repeatedly warned that limiting Bitcoin to purely a store of value would undermine its original peer-to-peer payment design. The campaign frames Cashu as a path to restoring that transactional use case within a privacy-first messenger.

Source: Jack Dorsey

Bitcoin wasn’t built to be a privacy solution, critics argue

Opponents caution that Bitcoin’s base layer is transparent by design and that privacy protections offered by layer-2 or token abstractions may not match privacy-centric currencies like Monero (XMR) or Zcash (ZEC). Aztec Network engineer José Pedro Sousa asked publicly: “Jack, why use a fully public blockchain for a privacy chat?” and privacy advocates have warned that introducing Bitcoin could expose transactional metadata unless implemented with robust privacy wrappers.

Cashu’s Chaumian Ecash seeks to address those concerns by enabling unlinkable token transfers, but history shows few privacy-layer solutions have achieved widespread adoption at scale. The technical trade-offs—settlement guarantees, censorship resistance, and usability—remain central to the debate.

EU legislative context and implications for private messaging

The push to embed private payment rails in encrypted messengers coincides with regulatory pressure in Europe. Lawmakers recently debated a controversial “Chat Control” proposal that would require messaging platforms to detect and report child sexual abuse material, raising alarms about mass scanning and potential erosions of end-to-end encryption. Germany has opposed the measure on constitutional grounds, and the vote has been postponed pending further deliberation (next vote expected early December).

These regulatory dynamics complicate product decisions for Signal: adding payment features that touch sensitive metadata will require careful design and legal scrutiny.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the “Bitcoin for Signal” campaign and who supports it?

The “Bitcoin for Signal” campaign advocates integrating Bitcoin payments into Signal using Cashu’s Chaumian Ecash. Prominent backers include Jack Dorsey and Bitcoin developer Peter Todd, who argue for broader Bitcoin utility inside encrypted messaging.

Would Bitcoin on Signal preserve user privacy?

Cashu aims to preserve privacy through blind-signed ecash tokens, but outcomes depend on implementation details. If properly isolated from on-chain identifiers and paired with client-side protections, the approach can limit metadata exposure; critics remain cautious.

Key Takeaways

• Campaign goal: Integrate Bitcoin into Signal using Cashu to enable private in-app payments.
• Support and criticism: High-profile endorsements meet skepticism over Bitcoin’s base-layer privacy limits and MobileCoin’s existing centralization concerns.
• Regulatory backdrop: EU deliberations on chat surveillance heighten the need for privacy-preserving design and legal review before any rollout.

Conclusion

The “Bitcoin for Signal” initiative has catalyzed a renewed debate about payments, privacy, and platform design. While proponents argue Cashu’s Chaumian Ecash can bring private Bitcoin payments to Signal’s ~70 million monthly users, experts caution that technical and regulatory hurdles must be resolved. COINOTAG will continue to monitor developments and report updates as Signal, developers, and regulators respond.