Privacy-oriented messaging app signal has flown high in the Dutch App Shops over the past month, which often sat at the top as the most downloaded app on iOS and Android in all categories, according to data from multiple app tracking platforms Like sensors tower.

The app has experienced a surge in popularity over the years, often in response to Policy changes at competitors such as WhatsApp or geopolitical events. This is because Signal has made a name for itself as a more privacy-friendly option-it is operated by a non-profit foundation (although based in the US) rather than a private business focusing on earning data. In addition, the signal minimal metadata follows.

In 2025, with a new US president empowered by Big Tech’s warm embrace, it is not surprising that digital privacy instruments have a moment – especially in Europe, which attracted President Trump’s IRe.

But what is particularly striking this time is Signal’s prominence in one very specific Land-Dutch.

In a interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf last week, signal president Meredith whittaker Noted that the number of “new registrations” in the Netherlands was higher this year by a factor of 25, although it is not clear what the exact comparative period for this data is.

When asked why the Netherlands saw such growth, Whittaker pointed out a combination of factors: “an increasing awareness of privacy, distrust of great technology and the political reality in which people realize how vulnerable digital communication can be,” Whittaker said.

Data provided to TechCrunch from App Intelligence Firm Appfigures Charts Signal’s rise in the Netherlands. According to his data, on January 1, the signal arranged the 365th place under non-game iPhone apps in the Netherlands and did not appear in the top-total program list. Then, from January 5, it started to climb the rankings and reached the top position by February 2.

The signal dropped in and out of the lead in the intervening weeks and spent about half of February at the summit – including every day since February 22. The deeper in the data has risen to 99,000 in January and rose to 23,000 to 23,000 in January 2024 in January 2024 – a 958% increase since December.

Although some of this growth can be attributed to the signal with a lower saturation than in other markets, the continued position of the app at the top of the app compared to similar size neighboring markets is striking.

“No other markets come near the Netherlands in terms of growth between December and February,” Appfigures told TechCrunch.

By comparison, since December, Belgium has seen downloads by more than 250%growth, Sweden by 153%and Denmark by 95%.

Why can signal the redder a ” ‘n’Mass -adoption moment“In the Netherlands?

Clear signal

Rejo zengerSenior Policy Advisor at the Dutch Digital Rights Foundation Pieces of freedomsaid that while it is difficult to determine one particular reason, he is not surprised.

Recent developments in the US has seen the large platform providers In accordance with the new Trump administration, it has caused a significant debate on public and media. Europe’s reliance on technology of large private American businesses has become a focal point in that debate.

“Like many others, the Dutch are very dependent on the infrastructure provided by extremely dominant technical enterprises, mostly from the US,” Zenger told Techcrunch. ‘What this means, and the risks of this, have been shown nicely over the past few weeks. As a result, the public debate in the Netherlands was relatively sharp. Where this problem has been discussed only at the level of ‘Which instant messenger should i use“I now feel that we also have the debate on higher levels:”We need to get rid of this dependence. ”

In this context, the public can confuse the dominance of data protection abuse. Since companies such as Meta are regularly examined and fined about data privacy practices, Signal can prevent the lesser evil: it is based in the US, but is managed by a non-profit organization that ensures the coding of both message content and the metadata around it.

Vincent BöhreDirector at Dutch Privacy Organization Privacy firstalso pointed to increased media coverage and a broader shift in public opinion.

‘Since Trump was re-elected a few months ago in the US, there has been a lot of’ bashing ‘from Trump and (Elon) Musk in Dutch and European mainstream media, including bashing of US major technical enterprises, which now support Trump, Böhre told TechCrunch. “Articles that criticize X (formerly Twitter) and Meta showed up everywhere in Dutch media, which led to a shift in the Dutch public opinion: even people who have never really known or cared about privacy and security in social media have now suddenly become interested in ‘private-friendly’ alternatives, especially signal. ‘

Signal of configuration

While the Netherlands is only one market of 18 million people in a European population of over 700 million, the increase in adoption may indicate a broader tendency across the continent, especially as governments try to lower privacy barriers.

For example, Apple recently drew end-to-end coding from iCloud in the UK to counteract the government’s efforts to install a back door.

Talk at Rightscon 25 In Taiwan this week, Whittaker confirmed the unwavering attitude about privacy.

“Signal’s position on this is very clear- We will not guarantee the strong privacy and security that people are dependent, or otherwise not, or otherwise not,” Whittaker said. “Whether the disorder or back door is called the customer scan, or the poaching of the encryption protection of one or another contains similar to what Apple did in the UK”

Separately, in a interview with Whittaker, Swedish public broadcaster SVT, said Signal would not comply with a proposed Swedish law that requires messaging app manufacturers to save messages.

“In practice, that means we have to break the coding that is the basis of our entire business,” Whittaker said. ‘Asking us to store data will undermine our entire architecture, and we would never. We would rather leave the Swedish market completely. “

TechCrunch reaches out to signal for comment, but has not heard at the time of the publication.