Vitalik Buterin, the inventor of Ethereum, gave each of the encrypted chat applications Signal and SimpleX Chat 128 ETH.
He said that both messaging services are developing features like enhanced information privacy and the ability to create open accounts.
Why the investment?
He noted, “Session app and SimpleX Chat are two messaging apps pushing these directions forward. For this reason, I’ve donated 128 ETH to each.“
Because they go beyond traditional end-to-end encryption to handle “metadata privacy,” which includes who you interact with, when, and how frequently, apps like SimpleX and Session have become more well-known.
For instance, Session employs a decentralised network of service nodes rather than a single server, whereas SimpleX uses one-way message queues without global identities. This appeals to people who are concerned about security and is consistent with Vitalik’s long-standing support of decentralisation.
Also Read: Vitalik Buterin Warns X’s Location-Tagging Rollout Is “Easy To Fake” And Poses Privacy Risks
However, Vitalik said that there is still work to be done before the messaging applications reach the highest level of usefulness and security. Decentralisation is a must for true metadata security, and the need for multi-device access only makes things more challenging.
He added, “Sybil / DoS resistance, both in the message routing network and on the user side (without forcing phone number dependence), adds further difficulty. These problems need more eyes on them.”
Unity for the crypto community
Measures like the European Union’s previously planned Chat Control, which would have required platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal to allow authorities to examine communications before they are encrypted and transferred, have made privacy in messaging applications a hot topic of discussion.
According to Alexander Linton, president of the Session Technology Foundation, the demonstration of support is valued because safeguarding digital privacy continues to face several obstacles.
“Unfortunately, regulatory and technical developments are currently threatening the future of private messaging. However, the challenges private messaging faces are solvable, and I think Vitalik clearly understands the importance of decentralisation in this fight,” he said.
Encrypted decentralised messaging
“Amazing to know, as clear as day, that Vitalik and many people around the world understand what real privacy is, what people need to live freely,” said Chris McCabe, co-founder of Session.
But he said that raising awareness throughout the world should be a crucial next step for decentralised, encrypted texting.
Recently, Vitalik has also offered fresh perspectives on Ethereum, pointing out that “more selective scaling” would be a key component of ETH’s expansion in the upcoming year. In the next stage, he said, Ethereum would move from wide-ranging scalability to focused, goal-driven optimisation.