Privacy-focused messaging app signals flew high in the Dutch app store last month, and often sits on top as the most downloaded free app on iOS and Android in all categories, with data from multiple app tracking platforms such as Sensor Tower.
The app has experienced a surge in popularity over the years, in response to policy changes in rivals such as WhatsApp and geopolitical events. This is because Signal created its own name as a more privacy-friendly option. That's because it's run by a nonprofit foundation (though based in the US) rather than a private company focused on data monetization. Additionally, the signal tracks minimal metadata.
With a new US president empowered by Big Tech's warm embrace in 2025, it's no surprise that digital privacy tools are spending their moments.
But what's particularly eye-catching this time is the excellence of the signal in the Netherlands, a very specific location.
Signal data from Sensor TowerImage Credit: Sensor Tower/Screenshot
In an interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf last week, Signal President Meredith Whittaker said that while it is not clear what the exact comparison period for this data is, the number of “new registrations” in the Netherlands has increased 25 times this year.
When asked why the Netherlands saw such growth, Whittaker pointed to a combination of factors. “The growing awareness of privacy, distrust of big technology, and the political reality that people recognize how vulnerable digital communication is,” he said.
Data provided to TechCrunch by app intelligence firm AppFigures charts the rise in signal in the Netherlands. According to the data, the signal ranked 365th in non-gaming iPhone apps in the Netherlands on January 1st and did not appear on the top app list. After that, it began to rise to the rankings around January 5th, and by February 2nd it reached the top position.
Signal spends half of February on the summit, including every day since February 22nd. We estimate that we have delved into the data and delved into the entire Apple and Google app store downloads in December 2024 with a total of 22,000.
Part of this growth can be attributed to signals that are less saturated than other markets, but its sustained position at the top of the app is noteworthy compared to adjacent markets of similar size.
“There is no other market in terms of growth in terms of Netherlands between December and February,” Appfigures told TechCrunch.
For comparison, since December, Belgium has seen an increase of over 250% downloads, Sweden has increased by 153%, and Denmark has increased by 95%.
So why is it signaling what the lady called the “mass adoption moment” in the Netherlands?
Clear signal
Rejo Zenger, senior policy advisor for Bits of Freedom at the Dutch Digital Rights Foundation, said that it is difficult to pinpoint one particular reason, but he is not surprised.
With recent developments in the US, large platform providers are in line with the new Trump administration, which has taken away important public and media debates. The reliance on technology from large European private companies has been a focus in that debate.
“The Dutch, like many others, rely heavily on the infrastructure provided by highly dominant high-tech companies, primarily from the US,” Zenger told TechCrunch. “What this means, and the risks that will pose, have been well demonstrated in the past few weeks. As a result, public discussions in the Netherlands have been relatively sharp. If in the past this issue has only been discussed at the “instant messenger I should use,” I feel that we are now debating at a higher level: “We should remove this dependency.”
In that context, the public may be confused with domination with data protection abuse. The signal may appear to be a lower evil as companies such as Meta are regularly inspected and fined for data privacy practices. It is based in the US but is run by a nonprofit organization that guarantees encryption of both message content and the metadata around it.
Vincent Bele, director of Dutch privacy organisation Privacy First, also noted an increase in media coverage and a wider shift in public opinion.
“Since Trump was re-elected in the US a few months ago, there have been a lot of 'bashing' with Trump. [Elon] Musk in the Netherlands and musk in Europe are mainstream media that includes bashing by major American tech companies that seem to support Trump now,” Bele told TechCrunch. “Articles criticizing x [formerly Twitter] And Meta has appeared everywhere in the Dutch media, leading to a change in Dutch public opinion. Even people who have never really known or cared about social media privacy and security are suddenly interested in “privacy-friendly” alternatives, especially signaling.
Signal of intent
Credits of Meredith Whittaker, Signa President of Web Summit, held in Lisbon on November 4th, 20222: Patricia de Melo Moreira / AFP / Getty Images
The Netherlands is just one of the markets of 18 million with a European population of over 700 million, but the surge in adoption could indicate a broader trend across the continent, especially as governments seek to curb privacy barriers.
For example, Apple recently pulled end-to-end encryption from iCloud in the UK to counter the government's efforts to install backdoors.
Speaking at Taiwan's RightsCon 25 this week, Whittaker reaffirmed Signal's unwavering attitude towards privacy.
“The location of the signal on this is very clear – we will not walk back, adultery or perturb the robust privacy and security guarantees that people rely on,” Whittaker said. “Whether that perturbation or backdoor is called a client-side scan, or whether the similar cryptographic protection stripping works as Apple was encouraged to do in the UK.”
Separately, in an interview with Swedish public broadcaster Svt, Whittaker said the signal was not in compliance with proposed Swedish laws requiring that the message be saved by app makers that convey the message.
“In reality, this means asking us to break the encryption that is the foundation of our entire business,” says Whittaker. “Requiring them to store data is a nuisance of the entire architecture and we never do that. We want to leave the Swedish market for good.”
TechCrunch reached out to signal the comment but received no response at the time of publication.