Radar Chat launches encrypted messaging app combining Signal's technology with self-custodial Bitcoin payments over Lightning Network.
Tech & Launches ·
Radar Chat, backed by the team behind Cake Wallet, launched Tuesday as a messaging application that pairs end-to-end encryption with self-custodial Bitcoin transfers over the Lightning Network. The app, available on iOS and Android, uses Signal's open-source protocol and allows users to send both encrypted messages and Bitcoin within conversations without switching between separate applications. Vikrant Sharma, founder of both Radar Chat and Cake Wallet, said the app addresses a core friction: the people users communicate with are often the same people they pay, yet the two functions have remained siloed.
Radar lets users retain private key control, distinguishing it from centralized payment services that hold customer funds and transaction data. Sharma contrasted the approach with platforms like PayPal and Cash App, noting those services trade user autonomy for ease of use. The Lightning Network layer enables faster and cheaper transactions than Bitcoin's base layer. During account setup, users receive a recovery seed phrase to restore Bitcoin on another device, with encrypted backups tied to their Signal account providing an additional recovery method.
Sharma noted that Radar has tested payments as high as $5,000, with transaction limits determined by Lightning Network liquidity rather than app-imposed caps. He emphasized the application targets routine peer-to-peer transactions—lunch purchases, bill splitting, and tips—rather than large amounts. Radar remains independently developed from Signal, though Sharma said the company financially supports Signal as a public good for privacy communications.