Privacy-centered messenger Signal has assigned funds to test internal payments with the use of cryptocurrency, as revealed by Casey Newton, founder of the data service Platformer.
Signal has tested the MobileCoin token, developed by the creator of the messenger Moxie Marlinspike, Newton asserted. In 2018, the team of the project received $30 million worth of financing from the Binance Bitcoin exchange.
Online debates on the topic have suggested that the potential integration of the token would draw the attention of regulators to the platform and attract unscrupulous users. Meanwhile, Marlinspike dubbed the MobileCoin work simply a “research.”
“If we actually choose to add cryptocurrency payments to Signal, we will try to contemplate it carefully,” declared the creator of the platform.
Nevertheless, ex-employees informed Newton that the company is actively developing the needed protocols for the MobileCoin integration.
Signal enlarged its user base in January this year amidst alterations to WhatsApp’s privacy policy. In a single week, the total downloads of the messenger skyrocketed by 4200%.
Back in November 2020, the EU agencies approved a resolution requiring messenger services to establish end-to-end encrypted keys to watchdog chats and messages.
