Jack Dorsey, former Twitter CEO and long-time crypto advocate, has called on Signal Messenger to integrate Bitcoin as its default peer-to-peer payment option—challenging the platform’s current preference for alternative tokens.
Responding to a post by Bitcoin developer Calle on April 9, Dorsey argued that Bitcoin’s decentralized and censorship-resistant qualities make it a natural fit for Signal’s privacy-focused messaging service.
“Signal should use Bitcoin for P2P payments,” he wrote on X.
Dorsey’s stance was echoed by other fintech leaders, including former PayPal executive David Marcus, who stated that “all non-transactional apps should connect to Bitcoin.” The comments add to a growing chorus pushing for broader Bitcoin adoption as a usable medium of exchange, not just a speculative asset or store of value.
Dorsey has long maintained that Bitcoin must be integrated into daily use cases to fulfill its promise, and messaging apps—particularly encrypted platforms like Signal—represent a critical frontier in that evolution.
Signal Still Tied to Controversial Token Sentz
While the push for Bitcoin integration grows louder, Signal continues to offer in-app payments exclusively through Sentz—a rebranded version of the privacy-centric token MobileCoin (MTCN).
Founded in 2014, Signal is best known for its open-source encryption and privacy-first messaging features. In 2021, the platform quietly rolled out payment support via MobileCoin, a move that drew criticism over alleged lack of transparency, timing of token gains, and potential conflicts of interest involving Signal’s leadership.
The token, backed by venture firms like BlockTower Capital and Coinbase Ventures, was rebranded as “Sentz” in late 2023, but remains functionally the same—a privacy-focused ERC-20 asset designed for fast and anonymous transactions.
Despite its rebranding, skeptics continue to question Signal’s loyalty to a relatively obscure altcoin while overlooking more widely adopted and decentralized options like Bitcoin.
Bitcoin’s Role in Apps Sparks Wider Utility Debate
The push to integrate Bitcoin into messaging platforms like Signal highlights a growing divide in the crypto space: should Bitcoin remain a digital store of value, or reclaim its original purpose as a peer-to-peer payments tool?
Apps such as Signal and Telegram have historically leaned toward altcoin integrations—Telegram has doubled down on Toncoin, while Signal continues to back Sentz. But Bitcoin advocates argue the original cryptocurrency is better positioned, both technologically and ideologically, to serve as a decentralized payment layer in everyday digital interactions.
Jack Dorsey’s renewed push amplifies this sentiment. As co-founder of Block (formerly Square), he’s consistently positioned Bitcoin at the center of his vision for global financial inclusion. Now, as regulatory pressure mounts on altcoins and macroeconomic uncertainty looms large, many developers are reassessing Bitcoin’s role beyond passive investment.
Whether Signal will respond to the growing demand for Bitcoin integration remains unclear. The company has not issued any formal statement, leaving the door open for what could be a defining moment in the convergence of privacy tech and decentralized finance.
Quick Facts:
- Jack Dorsey urged Signal to adopt Bitcoin for in-app payments, calling it a natural fit for the privacy-focused platform.
- Signal currently supports payments only through Sentz, formerly MobileCoin, despite ongoing controversy around the token.
- Industry leaders like David Marcus echoed Dorsey’s sentiment, pushing for broader Bitcoin integration in non-financial apps.
