A secure messaging app from Europe.

What makes beChat a secure messaging app from Europe?

• Hosted in Germany. The beChat server runs on an independent European hosting provider, not on Amazon, Google, or Microsoft cloud. The physical server is in Europe (Germany).
• Governed by Belgian and European law. Belgian and EU law applies, including the GDPR. The US CLOUD Act does not apply to beChat because beChat is not a US company and its server does not run on US infrastructure.
• End-to-end encrypted. Messages use a Double RatchetDouble RatchetThe key-ratcheting construction beChat implements for end-to-end encryption, the same mechanism Signal and WhatsApp use. It generates a brand-new key for every message so a single compromised key does not expose past or future messages.Open in the glossary construction with post-quantum cryptography (ML-KEM-1024ML-KEMThe post-quantum key-exchange algorithm beChat uses to let two phones agree on a shared secret that a future quantum computer cannot figure out. Standardized by NIST as FIPS 203.Open in the glossary, ML-DSA-87ML-DSAThe post-quantum signature algorithm beChat uses to prove who sent a message and that it was not tampered with. Standardized by NIST as FIPS 204.Open in the glossary). The server stores only encrypted blobs and cannot read message content.
• Anonymous accounts. No phone number, no email, no legal name. Registration generates an 8-character PINPIN (in beChat)A random 8-character code your phone generates when you install beChat. It is your account identity, like a gym locker number. It is not a password you choose, and it says nothing about who you are.Open in the glossary and a device fingerprintDevice fingerprintA random identifier the beChat app creates for your device. beChat pairs it with your PIN to recognize your device, without ever collecting your name, email, or phone number.Open in the glossary. Your identity is not tied to a telecom provider or a government ID.
• No tracking. No analytics SDKs, no crash reporting, no advertising libraries, no third-party data-collection code. Android push notifications go through Google Firebase Cloud Messaging, and new-message notifications carry no content and no sender.
• Post-quantum protection. ML-KEM-1024 in every ratchet step and ML-DSA-87 for signatures, both NISTNISTThe U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology. It ran the multi-year public competition that chose the post-quantum algorithms beChat uses (FIPS 203 and 204). It also standardized AES and SHA-3.Open in the glossary-standardized (FIPS 203, 204). Messages you send today stay private even if a quantum computer is built in the coming decades.

European jurisdiction vs the US CLOUD Act

The US CLOUD Act, passed in 2018, allows US law enforcement to compel US-based cloud providers to hand over data stored on servers anywhere in the world, including in Europe, if the provider is a US company. This means that if a messenger uses AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure, the US government can potentially access the data through a CLOUD Act order, even if the server is physically in Europe.

beChat's server does not run on US cloud infrastructure. It runs on an independent European hosting provider in Germany. beChat is not a US company. The CLOUD Act does not apply. Any data request must go through Belgian and European legal channels, which require due process and offer stronger privacy protections.

How beChat compares to other European secure messengers

There are two other well-known secure messengers with European jurisdiction:

Threema (Switzerland)

Threema is a mature, paid, Swiss-based anonymous messenger. It uses a random Threema ID instead of requiring a phone number. It is audited, multi-platform (Android, iOS, desktop, web), and has 10 million users as of 2021. It won a 2021 Swiss Federal Supreme Court case preventing it from being classified as a telecom provider. The Swiss army recommends Threema for troops. Threema does not use post-quantum cryptography and does not implement sealed sender.

beChat's edges over Threema: post-quantum cryptography (ML-KEM-1024, ML-DSA-87), sealed sender (keeps the sender out of stored message records), and free (Threema is a one-time purchase).

Threema's edges over beChat: maturity, multi-platform support, independent audit, larger user base, and it ships today on all platforms.

Proton (Switzerland)

Proton is a Swiss privacy company known for Proton Mail and Proton VPN. In 2024, Proton launched Proton Pass. Proton does not currently offer a secure messaging app. If you are looking for a secure messaging app from Europe, Proton Mail provides encrypted email but not encrypted chat. beChat provides encrypted chat with anonymous accounts and post-quantum cryptography, hosted in Germany and governed by Belgian law.

Why anonymous accounts matter for a European secure messaging app

Even with end-to-end encryption and European hosting, if a messenger requires your phone number, your identity is tied to a telecom provider and, in most countries, a government ID. That metadata is available to the operator, and the operator can be compelled to hand it over. beChat uses anonymous 8-character PINs and hardware-based device fingerprints. The server knows which locker you are, not who you are.

This means that even if a European court orders beChat to hand over data, the data that exists is an anonymous PIN, a device fingerprint, public keys, contact and group relationships, routing metadata, recent IP addresses, and encrypted blobs. There is no name, no phone number, no email, and no readable message content to hand over.

GDPR and your rights

Because beChat is hosted in Germany and operates under Belgian and European law, the GDPR applies. Under the GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access: request a copy of the data beChat holds about you (your PIN, device fingerprint, public keys, contact and group relationships, routing metadata, recent IP addresses, and encrypted blobs).
• Erasure: delete your account and all associated data, either in-app (Settings → Account → Delete account) or by emailing privacy@bechat.world.
• Data portability: receive your data in a machine-readable format.
• Object: object to processing of your data (though beChat does not process data for analytics or advertising; it only processes data needed to operate the messaging service).

Because beChat collects no personal identifiers, GDPR rights requests are simpler than for services that hold your name, phone number, and contacts. There is less data to access, and less data to delete.

Frequently asked questions

What is a secure messaging app from Europe?

A secure messaging app from Europe is a messenger that provides end-to-end encrypted communication and is hosted, operated, and legally governed within European jurisdiction. beChat is a secure messaging app from Europe: it runs on an independent hosting provider in Germany, governed by Belgian and European law, with end-to-end encryption (Double Ratchet + post-quantum cryptography), anonymous accounts (no phone number or email), and no tracking SDKs.

Why does European hosting matter for a secure messaging app?

European hosting means the server is subject to European law, including the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), which gives users strong data protection rights. It also means the server is outside the jurisdiction of the US CLOUD Act, which allows US law enforcement to compel US-based cloud providers (Amazon, Google, Microsoft) to hand over data. beChat runs on an independent European provider, not a US hyperscaler cloud.

Is beChat a European alternative to Signal and WhatsApp?

Yes. beChat is a European alternative to Signal and WhatsApp for users who want end-to-end encryption without a phone number. Signal is hosted in the US (Signal Foundation). WhatsApp is owned by Meta, a US advertising company. beChat is hosted in Germany and governed by Belgian law, uses anonymous PIN-based accounts, and adds post-quantum cryptography on top of the same Double Ratchet mechanism Signal uses.

How does beChat compare to Threema as a European secure messenger?

Threema is a mature, paid, Swiss-based anonymous messenger. beChat is a free, open-beta, European anonymous messenger hosted in Germany and governed by Belgian law. Threema has more platforms (Android, iOS, desktop, web) and has been independently audited. beChat has post-quantum cryptography (ML-KEM-1024, ML-DSA-87) and a sealed-sender envelope, which Threema does not. Both are European, both are anonymous, both avoid US jurisdiction. Threema is the stronger choice today for maturity and platform support; beChat is the stronger choice for post-quantum protection.

Does beChat comply with the GDPR?

beChat is hosted in Germany and operates under Belgian and European law, which includes the GDPR. The server keeps your PIN, device fingerprint, public keys, push token, contact and group relationships, and encrypted message blobs, plus routing metadata (recipient, size, time) and request IP addresses in a 30-day audit log. It collects no personal identifiers (no email, phone number, or legal name), does not upload your address book, and collects no behavioral data. The GDPR gives you the right to have your data deleted, which beChat supports through in-app account deletion and a data deletion page.

Can the US government compel beChat to hand over my data?

No. beChat is not operated by a US company and its server does not run on US cloud infrastructure. The server is in Germany. (Android push notifications go through Google Firebase Cloud Messaging; new-message notifications carry no content and no sender.) The US CLOUD Act applies to US-based cloud providers and companies. beChat is not subject to it. Belgian and European law governs any data requests, and those require due process under European legal frameworks.

Try beChat

beChat is in open beta on Android. Download from Google Play, or learn more about how beChat works, the full security model, or how beChat compares to Signal, WhatsApp, Threema, and others.