2014 founded Standing
messaging · signal.org
Signal
the moat is real
12 years 22 days and counting
Moxie Marlinspike and Whisper Systems lineage, 2014 as Signal. Still the one you install when you mean it.
Why it lasted
- The protocol is the gold standard. WhatsApp and others borrowed it. That is a weird kind of win.
- A nonprofit that does one app. The constraint is the pitch.
Times it almost ended
- The 2022-2024 'we need a phone number / we need money / we added usernames' cycle. Privacy people are hard to keep.
- It is never going to be WhatsApp. It does not have to be.
What would finish it
- Protocol remaining while the app becomes a footnote, plus funding that cannot stay donation-and-mobilecoin adjacent forever.
Questions
Is Signal still up?
Yes, with a Standing verdict: the moat is real. Founded 2014.
How long has Signal been around?
Signal has been up since 2014-07-29.
Why did Signal survive?
The protocol is the gold standard. WhatsApp and others borrowed it. That is a weird kind of win.
Could Signal still die?
Protocol remaining while the app becomes a footnote, plus funding that cannot stay donation-and-mobilecoin adjacent forever.