Vitalik Buterin Backs Two Privacy-Focused Messaging Projects With Major ETH Donation

Vitalik Buterin has allocated more than $760,000 worth of Ether to two decentralized messaging projects that he believes represent the next chapter of digital privacy. The Ethereum co-founder revealed that he sent equal amounts of ETH to Session and SimpleX Chat—two platforms designed to eliminate the metadata trails that traditional messaging apps routinely generate.

Both projects aim to push encrypted communication beyond the limitations of mainstream services. Instead of relying on phone numbers or centralized servers, Session routes messages through a distributed network while stripping away conventional identifiers. SimpleX Chat takes a similar approach, avoiding persistent user IDs and removing the link between identity and communication at the protocol level.

Buterin has long supported initiatives that align with decentralization and open digital infrastructure. His decision to back these two platforms reflects his view that future messaging should allow for permissionless account creation, limited metadata exposure, and architecture that resists mass surveillance.

Rising Pressure on Private Messaging

The renewed focus on decentralized privacy tools comes at a time when encrypted communication is facing legislative and technical challenges worldwide. Recent policy proposals in regions like the European Union would have required messaging platforms to scan user content before encryption is applied, raising concerns about broad monitoring and weakening of security models.

Supporters of privacy-focused technology argue that this environment makes resilient, decentralized messaging more important than ever. Teams working on these tools face increasing pressure from both regulatory shifts and the technical hurdles of maintaining secure communication without identity anchors like phone numbers.

Remaining Challenges for Privacy Apps

While Session and SimpleX have made major strides, both still face the complex task of improving user experience without compromising decentralization. Achieving strong metadata protection often requires trade-offs in convenience—especially for features like multi-device support, spam mitigation, and resistance to network abuse.

Developers in this sector are pushing for architectures that remain permissionless and Sybil-resistant without falling back on centralized verification methods. Stronger community involvement and more technical scrutiny are expected to play a key role in refining these systems.

Growing Demand for Global Awareness

Developers behind privacy-centric platforms emphasize that a major hurdle remains public understanding. Many users remain unaware of how much identifying information mainstream platforms collect and how easily metadata can reveal communication patterns even when content is encrypted.

Projects like Session aim to highlight that trustless, decentralized privacy is already possible and accessible. Advocates see greater education and global awareness as essential for pushing encrypted messaging into its next evolutionary stage.