Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has taken a bold step to advance digital privacy, donating approximately $765,000 in ETH to two encrypted messaging platforms, Session and SimpleX. Both projects aim to push the boundaries of privacy, challenging established players like Signal and Telegram.
Buterin highlighted two areas where mainstream apps fall short: permissionless account creation and metadata protection. Session and SimpleX tackle these gaps head-on, offering tools that protect users’ data beyond just message content.
Session’s architecture is designed to minimize information leakage. Unlike conventional apps, it limits collection of IP addresses, transmission timestamps, and other metadata, keeping sensitive user information off central servers. The platform’s SESH token surged 371% following Buterin’s donation, reaching a market cap of $15 million.
SimpleX focuses on user control over identity and community participation. Starting in 2026, it plans a voucher system where users contribute tokens to groups, such as the Bitcoin community, to fund server hosting. This decentralized approach spreads infrastructure costs across participants rather than centralizing them.
Buterin stressed that both platforms are still early-stage. User interface improvements and security hardening remain top priorities before reaching mass adoption. Distributed systems, multi-device synchronization, and spam prevention pose technical challenges, but are critical for genuine privacy.
The timing is notable. Privacy technology is gaining traction as governments worldwide increase digital monitoring. The UK recently imposed ID requirements for adult content, while the EU approved content scanning measures under child safety frameworks, raising surveillance concerns.
Buterin has long positioned privacy as essential digital hygiene, citing breaches in American financial systems. The Ethereum Foundation recently assembled a 28-member privacy team to accelerate initiatives in this space.
Privacy-focused tokens like Zcash have seen strong interest, climbing 793% over 12 months to $501, despite a recent 27% dip.
With Buterin’s backing, Session and SimpleX are positioning themselves as the next wave of privacy-first messaging platforms, signaling a broader movement toward decentralized, user-controlled communication.
