The Messaging Application signal focused on confidentiality stole high in Dutch application stores last month, often seated at the top as the most downloaded free on iOS and Android in all categories, according to data from several platforms for monitoring applications Like the sensor tower.
The application has experienced popularity overvoltages over the years, often in response to Policy changes among rivals like WhatsApp Or geopolitical events. Indeed, Signal has made a name as a more user -friendly option for confidentiality – it is used by a non -profit foundation (although based in the United States) rather than a private company focused on data monetization. In addition, the signal follows minimum metadata.
In 2025, with a new American president empowered by the heat of Big Tech, it is not surprising that digital confidentiality tools have a moment – especially in Europe, which attracted the ire of President Trump.
But what is particularly catchy this time is the signal prominence in a very specific place-the Netherlands.
In a interview with Dutch Télégraaf newspaper last week, signaling president Meredith Whittaker noted that the number of “new registrations” in the Netherlands was higher this year of a factor of 25, although it is not clear what is the exact comparative period for this data.
When asked why the Netherlands have experienced such growth, Whittaker underlined a combination of factors: “An increasing conscience of privacy, distrust of major technologies and the political reality in which people realize how vulnerable digital communication can be,” said Whittaker.
Data provided to Techcrunch of the Intelligence Firm app Appfigures The graphics report the rise of the Netherlands. According to his data, Signal ranked 365th among the non-game iPhone applications in the Netherlands on January 1 and did not appear in the most important global applications list. Then, from January 5, he started to climb the classification, reaching the higher position by February 2.
The signal plunged into and out of the head in the intermediate weeks, spending half of February at the top – including every day since February 22. By deepening the data, Appfigures estimates that downloads combined through Apple and Google applications have totaled 22,000 to 22,000 in February – an increase of 958% since 99,000 in December.
Although a part of this growth can be assigned to the signal with lower saturation than on other markets, the sustained position of the application at the top compared to neighboring markets of similar size is notable.
“No other market is getting closer to the Netherlands in terms of growth between December and February,” appfigures at Techcrunch told.
For comparison, since December, Belgium has seen downloads grow by more than 250%, Sweden by 153%and Denmark by 95%.
So why could we bring to life what a reditor called “mass adoption moment»In the Netherlands?
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Rejo ZengerSenior Policy Advisor to Dutch Digital Rights Foundation Bits of freedomsaid that if it is difficult to determine a specific reason, it is not surprised.
Recent developments in the United States have seen Large platform suppliers Align with the new Trump administration, which attracted an important public and media debate. Europe’s dependence on the technology of huge private American companies has become a focal point in this debate.
“The Dutch are, like many others, very dependent on the infrastructure provided by extremely dominant technological companies, mainly from the United States,” Zenger told Techcrunch. “What it means and the risks that have resulted from it have been well demonstrated in the past few weeks. As a result, public debate in the Netherlands was relatively clear. Where in the past, this problem has only been discussed on the level of ‘What instant messenger should I use“I think we also have the debate at higher levels:”We have to get rid of this dependence. ‘”
In this context, the public could confuse domination with data protection violence. Companies like Meta being regularly studied and condemned to a fine of data confidentiality practices, Signal may appear for the slightest evil: it is based in the United States, but exploited by a non-profit organization which guarantees the encryption of the content of the messages and the metadata that surround it.
Vincent BöhreDirector of the Dutch Privacy Organization Intimacy firstalso underlined increased media coverage and a broader change in public opinion.
“Since Trump was re-elected to the United States a few months ago, there was a lot of” denigration “of Trump and [Elon] Musk in the Dutch – and European media -, including the denigration of large American technological companies, which now seem to support Trump, “Böhre told Techcrunch. “Articles Criticizing X [formerly Twitter] And Meta appeared in the Dutch media everywhere, leading to a change in Dutch public opinion: even people who did not know or really cared about privacy and security in social media, suddenly interested in alternatives “ adapted to privacy, ” said in particular. “”
Intention signal
While the Netherlands are only a market of 18 million people in a European population of more than 700 million, its increase in adoption could point out a broader trend across the continent, especially since governments seek to reduce barriers to confidentiality.
Apple, for example, recently withdrawn encryption from start to finish in the United Kingdom to counter the government’s efforts to install a stolen door.
Be expressed at Rightscon 25 In Taiwan this week, Whittaker reaffirmed the unshakable position of signal on privacy.
“The position of the signal on this subject is very clear – we do not go through, do not disturb or disrupt solid confidentiality and security on which people depend”, Whittaker said. “Whether this disturbance or stolen door is called the client side scan, or the stripping of the encryption protections of one or the other of the characteristics similar to what Apple has been pushed to do in the United Kingdom”
Separately, in a interview with The Swedish public broadcaster SVT, Whittaker, said that Signal would not respect a proposed Swedish law forcing mail manufacturers to store messages.
“In practice, it means asking us to break the encryption which is the foundation of our entire business,” said Whittaker. “We ask to store data would undermine our whole architecture and we would never do it. We prefer to leave the Swedish market completely. »»
Techcrunch stretched out to report comments, but had not heard of the publication.
