Summary of Key Points
- •Vitalik Buterin donated 128 ETH each to Session and SimpleX, two decentralized messaging apps that prioritize metadata-free communication.
- •He believes the next stage of secure messaging must include permissionless accounts and strong metadata privacy, which centralized apps cannot fully deliver.
- •Buterin highlighted that decentralization, Sybil-attack resistance, and multi-device support remain significant challenges requiring additional technical contributors.
Ethereum Co-Founder Backs Metadata-Free Communication Tools
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has shown his support for two decentralized messaging platforms that he believes are leading the way in digital privacy. In a post on X, Buterin announced that he has donated 128 ETH to each of these platforms, totaling approximately $760,000. He described both Session and SimpleX Chat as pioneers of the next era of secure communication.
Send messages, not metadata.
For decentralized communication to succeed, we need to remain connected and collaborative. Thank you for your support, @vitalikbuterin https://t.co/JVfLxdgOCV
— Session (@session_app) November 26, 2025
Pushing Beyond Signal-Level Privacy
While messaging applications like Signal already provide end-to-end encryption, Buterin stated that the subsequent phase of private communication necessitates permissionless account creation and robust metadata protection. These are areas where traditional, centralized platforms continue to fall short.
He commended Session and SimpleX for eliminating conventional identifiers, such as phone numbers, and for their avoidance of centralized servers or user identification systems. Buterin suggested that these innovative approaches offer a more direct route towards achieving genuine anonymity and enhancing user sovereignty.
The Challenge of True Decentralization
Buterin pointed out that achieving strong metadata privacy requires a profound level of decentralization. This presents a significant technical hurdle, which becomes even more intricate when considering the complexities of multi-device access, resistance to Sybil attacks, and the imperative of maintaining a seamless user experience.
“Decentralization is hard,”
he wrote, emphasizing the need for more technical experts to assist teams that are actively addressing issues such as denial-of-service resilience and secure message routing, all without resorting to phone number verification as a dependency.
“Sybil / DoS resistance, both in the message routing network and on the user side, without forcing phone number dependence, adds further difficulty.”
A Track Record of Values-Aligned Giving
With an estimated cryptocurrency net worth exceeding $737 million, Buterin has a well-established history of financially supporting privacy-focused technologies, humanitarian initiatives, and projects that align with the core principles of Ethereum. His most recent donation arrives at a time of widespread global discussions surrounding encrypted messaging, including the European Union's contentious "Chat Control" proposal, which was temporarily halted and would have mandated the scanning of messages prior to encryption.
Concurrently, Buterin co-authored a new document titled the “Trustless Manifesto.” This manifesto reiterates the project's fundamental dedication to decentralization and censorship resistance. It strongly advises blockchain developers to steer clear of compromising on decentralization shortcuts in their efforts to achieve scalability and broad mainstream adoption.