Jack Dorsey’s decentralized messaging app Bitchat is getting a new wave of attention, not because of a product launch, but because YouTube continues to ban crypto channels.
A decade of content, gone overnight
Bitcoin.com confirmed that YouTube removed its channel without prior warning, citing “harmful and dangerous” content. The channel has built an audience of over 100,000 subscribers over 10 years, posting wallet tutorials and cryptocurrency news.
The appeals were rejected. Broken video embeds hurt site traffic. According to Bitcoin.com, nothing in its library exceeded the limits – and even though its educational videos were removed, the crypto scam ads continued to run on the platform untouched.
YouTube removed our channel because it was “harmful and dangerous.”
Our content since 2015: #Bitcoin education. Wallet tutorials. Objective news.
Content from YouTube: fraudulent crypto advertisements broadcast 24/7 without any moderation.
Appeal dismissed. No strike. No explanation. Just an algorithm that… pic.twitter.com/YvEsk8vc7J– Bitcoin.com (@BitcoinCom) April 8, 2026
YouTube has not publicly commented on the removal.
A model that dates back years
This is not an isolated case. BTCsessions, another crypto-focused channel, was removed three times between 2019 and 2025. Its most recent ban – issued for what YouTube described as “serious and repeated violations” – was only overturned after widespread public backlash.
In September 2025, the Luke Mikic channel was removed, then reinstated the same day following a quick appeal.
Earlier in 2026, YouTube swept a wider group of channels. Reports indicate that the affected accounts lost a total of 35 million followers, with demonetization wiping out millions of dollars in revenue.
Bitcoin Magazine was banned in April 2026 – its second removal in four years – this time for YouTube content labeled “low quality and repetitive.”
Through it all, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan has continued to describe the platform as creator-focused. Cryptocurrency viewership on the platform fell to a five-year low in 2026.
Banning channels should always be a last resort and should not be automated in any way.
It’s people’s lives. They put a lot of work into it, years of work, and then you automatically ban it.
It’s not respectful.– James CryptoGuru (@Jamyies) April 8, 2026
YouTube ban: creators seek a way out
The reaction on X was strong. Creators and viewers say the bans are unjustified and that automation has made the process worse, not better. “This is people’s lives,” one user wrote. “They put a lot of work into it, years of work, and then you automatically ban it.”
Alternatives are gaining ground
Voices within the community are directing creators to other platforms: Odysee, Rumble, Substack, Spotify, and mailing lists. Bitchat – still in its early stages – has attracted particular interest for its design, which operates independently of centralized platforms and does not rely on traditional Internet infrastructure.
Nostr and Bluesky, both backed by Dorsey, are also mentioned as longer-term alternatives for creators who no longer want their work dependent on the moderation decisions of a single platform.
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
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