Yes, it does require the phone number to activate the account. The same issue exists with Telegram too, which requires a phone number to create an account. Wire

Yes, it does require the phone number to activate the account. The same issue exists with Telegram too, which requires a phone number to create an account. Wire [1], which is a similar app, does not require a phone number and can work with an email address. [1]: https://wire.com https://wire.com