21 Jul
2025
21 Jul
'25
4:36 a.m.
Hello,
I came across the XMTP protocol (https://xmtp.org). It is a messaging protocol based on
the blockchain, supported by Ephemera, a company with large fundings.
The protocol is presented as "XMTP (Extensible Message Transport Protocol) is the
largest and most secure decentralized messaging network".
It seems to be confusing for the whole messaging community and I have a hard time
imagining it is not on purpose.
Should we, as the XSF, make a move ? We could ask the IETF if they also would want to join
a letter of clarification.
What do you think about it ?
Kind regards,
-- Mickaël Rémond
21 Jul
21 Jul
4:45 a.m.
I have been wondering about this too.
Most of the website including the documentation seemed LLM-generated to
me and there are very few technical specifications to be found. That
made me wonder whether it is worth bothering with it at all. But since
it's supported by a well-funded company, seems to have known customers
including Coinbase, and is actively looking for more funding, perhaps
it's better to raise our voices regarding the name.
This coverage by Fortune mentions "other decentralised messaging
protocols" including Matrix, but makes no mention of XMPP:
https://fortune.com/crypto/2025/07/17/xmtp-ephemera-messaging-protocol-unio…
I wonder if the authors of that article were just confused or didn't
know that XMPP existed in the first place.
Best,
Badri
5:16 a.m.
This appears to be a transcript of an interview with the person that has
started the development on XMTP. The origin of the name is discussed, as
being a combination of SMTP and XMTP.
https://web3galaxybrain.com/episode/XMTP-with-Matt-Galligan
I personally don't like the similarities of the naming (even in English
pronunciation, the letters T and P are similar), but my first impression is
not that it is malicious. It is going to be very, very confusing if this
ever takes off. Given that there apparently is a source of investment, it
could be argued that it already has taken off.
From a quick scan, the project seems to be in ernest development for a
reasonable amount of months (but not years) now. The longer that it is
active (and the longer that the name XMTP is cemented in as their identity)
the less likely it will be that they can be convinced that the similarities
between the names are going to hurt both technologies more than that it is
beneficial to them.
If we do want to try and convince them to consider a name change, then I
suggest we do so in the spirit of them too benefitting from a strong,
not-to-be-confused-with-that-other-protocol identity, rather than from a
get-off-my-lawn argument.
Op ma 21 jul 2025 10:48 schreef Badri Sunderarajan <badrihippo(a)disroot.org>rg>:
I have been wondering about this too.
Most of the website including the documentation seemed LLM-generated to
me and there are very few technical specifications to be found. That
made me wonder whether it is worth bothering with it at all. But since
it's supported by a well-funded company, seems to have known customers
including Coinbase, and is actively looking for more funding, perhaps
it's better to raise our voices regarding the name.
This coverage by Fortune mentions "other decentralised messaging
protocols" including Matrix, but makes no mention of XMPP:
https://fortune.com/crypto/2025/07/17/xmtp-ephemera-messaging-protocol-unio…
I wonder if the authors of that article were just confused or didn't
know that XMPP existed in the first place.
Best,
Badri
22 Jul
22 Jul
5:12 a.m.
Quoting the relevant part from the transcript that Guus shared:
Nicholas: Got it. The first thing I noticed about XMTP is the name,
which reminds me of SMTP. Is there a reason for the relationship? Is
it a reference, first of all? And if so, why?
Matt Galligan: Yeah, it actually it's pretty spot on, but it goes
one nerdy level deeper, which is there was also another protocol
XMPP, sometimes referred to as the Jabber protocol. And when I was
trying to think through what to call this thing, the one thing that
stuck with me was that this was going to be a protocol where any
kind of communication could happen on whether it be email or push
notifications or DMs or whatnot. And so I did the very nerdy thing
of just what are other protocols named? You know, what can make
something feel immediately familiar, though you've never seen it
before? And so looking at SMTP and XMPP, I was like, well, here you
go. Here's two communication protocols. And I smashed them together.
Doesn't go much deeper than that. But, you know, the value being
like we've heard from a lot of folks that, you know, hey, I've never
heard of XMPP before, but I'm assuming that it has to do with
communication. So it serves a purpose for sure.
I am now in agreement with Guus that the usage doesn't seem malicious.
And even if it were, taking an aggressive stance would be less likely to
convince them ;-)
Having read more of the interview transcript, it's clear that the
founder (Matt Gallighan) has used XMPP before and knows what he is
talking about. There was also some thought (though minor) given to the
naming, and it seems to have been chosen as a nod of acknowledgement to
XMPP (and SMTP) rather than a rip-off.
I'm still not entirely happy with the similarity personally, but I can
live with it, and I'm curious to hear what others have to say.
~Badri
9:30 a.m.
Hello,
Thank you both for the research.
Indeed, it is likely not badly intended, but still it is confusing.
Maybe reaching out in a friendly manner would help to discuss and find a way to limit the
confusion ?
--
Mickaël Rémond
ProcessOne
Founder & CEO
On 22 Jul 2025, at 11:12, Badri Sunderarajan wrote:
Quoting the relevant part from the transcript that
Guus shared:
Nicholas: Got it. The first thing I noticed about XMTP is the name,
which reminds me of SMTP. Is there a reason for the relationship? Is
it a reference, first of all? And if so, why?
Matt Galligan: Yeah, it actually it's pretty spot on, but it goes
one nerdy level deeper, which is there was also another protocol
XMPP, sometimes referred to as the Jabber protocol. And when I was
trying to think through what to call this thing, the one thing that
stuck with me was that this was going to be a protocol where any
kind of communication could happen on whether it be email or push
notifications or DMs or whatnot. And so I did the very nerdy thing
of just what are other protocols named? You know, what can make
something feel immediately familiar, though you've never seen it
before? And so looking at SMTP and XMPP, I was like, well, here you
go. Here's two communication protocols. And I smashed them together.
Doesn't go much deeper than that. But, you know, the value being
like we've heard from a lot of folks that, you know, hey, I've never
heard of XMPP before, but I'm assuming that it has to do with
communication. So it serves a purpose for sure.
I am now in agreement with Guus that the usage doesn't seem malicious. And even if it
were, taking an aggressive stance would be less likely to convince them ;-)
Having read more of the interview transcript, it's clear that the founder (Matt
Gallighan) has used XMPP before and knows what he is talking about. There was also some
thought (though minor) given to the naming, and it seems to have been chosen as a nod of
acknowledgement to XMPP (and SMTP) rather than a rip-off.
I'm still not entirely happy with the similarity personally, but I can live with it,
and I'm curious to hear what others have to say.
~Badri
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Mickaël Rémond