Marlinspike detailed in a blog post that he would remain on Signal’s board to continue to “help manifest Signal’s mission.” He added that Signal’s executive chairman and WhatsApp co-founder, Brian Acton, would be stepping in as Signal’s interim CEO while looking for a permanent replacement.
“I now feel very comfortable replacing myself as CEO based on the team we have, and also believe that it is an important step for expanding on Signal’s success,” he wrote. “I’ve been talking with candidates over the last few months, but want to open up the search with this announcement in order to help find the best person for the next decade of Signal. Please get in touch if that might be you!”
Marlinspike added that the company has grown faster than he could have imagined and that “exciting work” is coming soon to the app.
“People increasingly find value and peace of mind in Signal (technology built for them instead of for their data) and are increasingly willing to sustain it,” Marlinspike said. “Every day, I’m struck by how boundless Signal’s potential looks, and I want to bring in someone with fresh energy and commitment to make the most of that.”
The encrypted messaging developer has grown exponentially since it was founded as a nonprofit in 2014. Signal has managed to stand out from competitors like WhatsApp by not supporting advertising within the app and keeping the app free to use for everyone. In addition, the company recently launched an in-app sustainer program last month to rely on donations from users to keep its technology afloat.
Signal also announced last April that it would test cryptocurrency payments in collaboration with MobileCoin to bring fast peer-to-peer payments to mobile without a bank’s involvement. However, there hasn’t been an update on if crypto payments would become a mainstay on the messaging app.
