The world turns to national messengers
The global trend of shifting from international messengers to national platforms is gaining momentum. Kazakhstan is not the only example — many countries are actively developing their own services, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Kazakhstan — Aitu
Kazakhstan has begun transitioning the public sector to the domestic messenger Aitu. The first users will be government and quasi-government organizations. The main driver behind this transition is data storage within the country’s jurisdiction and the protection of its digital space.
At a meeting on August 11, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reminded that since the beginning of 2025, more than 40 data breaches had been recorded in the country, the largest occurring in June.
“Meanwhile, Kazakhstan has developed a domestic messenger, Aitu, which is capable of providing the necessary level of security,” the Head of State emphasized.
Aitu is positioned as a next-generation digital platform that combines messenger, social network, video and audio hosting, and digital wallet functions.
China — WeChat
China’s national messenger WeChat has evolved into a universal ecosystem. Within the app, users can access mini-programs for shopping, healthcare, government services, and finance. Foreign messengers remain blocked.
France — Tchap
As of September 1, all French ministries and agencies are required to use the state-developed messenger Tchap for official correspondence. The application was created by the Interministerial Digital Directorate (DINUM). Its name pays tribute to Claude Chappe, an 18th-century French engineer and inventor of one of the first optical telegraph systems. The government described the transition as ensuring the “security of conversations and information.”
WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal have been banned for official use.
Germany — BundesMessenger
Germany has rolled out BundesMessenger, a service designed specifically for public authorities and based on the Matrix protocol. The app ensures end-to-end encryption and stores all data within the country. It is used by both federal and regional agencies. The goal is to achieve digital sovereignty and independence from foreign IT giants.
UAE — Botim and ToTok
In the United Arab Emirates, WhatsApp and Telegram remain available, but calls through them are blocked due to VoIP licensing rules. Local operators offer paid alternatives such as Botim and ToTok.
Governments across the globe are increasingly replacing international messengers with national platforms to strengthen data security and digital sovereignty.
India — Sandes
India is developing Sandes, a messenger primarily used by government institutions. However, the app has not yet gained mass adoption, as the population continues to rely heavily on WhatsApp and Telegram.
Russia — MAX
In 2025, Russia introduced a mandatory pre-installation of VK’s MAX messenger on all devices, while restricting calls via WhatsApp and Telegram.
According to the MAX press service, by September around 30 million people were using the messenger. Experts note a key difference between Max and WhatsApp: unlike WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption (E2EE), Max lacks this protection, allowing its servers to read messages and leaving users vulnerable to government access.
Iran — Rubika
In Iran, WhatsApp and Telegram were blocked in 2022. Although some restrictions were later eased, the government continues to promote local platforms. The largest Iranian messenger Rubika combines features of a social network, video platform, and messenger, boasting more than 50 million users.
Earlier, it was reported that a massive Gmail data breach occurred at Google after hackers posing as IT support tricked an employee, leaving billions of accounts exposed to phishing scams.