diff --git a/.env b/.env
index ecf4252518..898935d330 100644
--- a/.env
+++ b/.env
@@ -9,3 +9,5 @@ LOG_LEVEL=debug
 LOG_LEVEL_STATUS_GO=info
 JSC_ENABLED=1
 QUEUE_MESSAGE_ENABLED=1
+MANY_WHISPER_TOPICS_ENABLED=0
+
diff --git a/.env.jenkins b/.env.jenkins
index b8247e6498..0f02a5bb88 100644
--- a/.env.jenkins
+++ b/.env.jenkins
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@ LOG_LEVEL=debug
 LOG_LEVEL_STATUS_GO=info
 JSC_ENABLED=1
 QUEUE_MESSAGE_ENABLED=1
+MANY_WHISPER_TOPICS_ENABLED=0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.env.prod b/.env.prod
index da8af70d50..9ef13d1d18 100644
--- a/.env.prod
+++ b/.env.prod
@@ -8,4 +8,5 @@ OFFLINE_INBOX_MANY_ENABLED=0
 LOG_LEVEL=info
 LOG_LEVEL_STATUS_GO=info
 JSC_ENABLED=0
-QUEUE_MESSAGE_ENABLED=0
\ No newline at end of file
+QUEUE_MESSAGE_ENABLED=0
+MANY_WHISPER_TOPICS_ENABLED=0
diff --git a/Jenkinsfile.parameters b/Jenkinsfile.parameters
index 9856a55171..b3929c0f8e 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile.parameters
+++ b/Jenkinsfile.parameters
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ node ('macos1') {
       sh 'echo LOG_LEVEL_STATUS_GO='       + LOG_LEVEL_STATUS_GO       + '>>' + '.env'
       sh 'echo JSC_ENABLED='               + JSC_ENABLED               + '>>' + '.env'
       sh 'echo OFFLINE_INBOX_ENABLED='     + OFFLINE_INBOX_ENABLED     + '>>' + '.env'
+      sh 'echo MANY_WHISPER_TOPICS_ENABLED=' + MANY_WHISPER_TOPICS_ENABLED     + '>>' + '.env'
 
       sh 'echo "**********************************************************************"'
       sh 'echo PARAMETERIZED BUILD - USING CUSTOM ENVIRONMENT'
diff --git a/src/status_im/protocol/chat.cljs b/src/status_im/protocol/chat.cljs
index 0590c7d9f8..a6726e2f4f 100644
--- a/src/status_im/protocol/chat.cljs
+++ b/src/status_im/protocol/chat.cljs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   (:require [cljs.spec.alpha :as s]
             [status-im.protocol.web3.filtering :as f]
             [status-im.protocol.web3.delivery :as d]
-            [taoensso.timbre :refer-macros [debug]]
+            [taoensso.timbre :refer-macros [debug] :as log]
             [status-im.protocol.validation :refer-macros [valid?]]))
 
 (def message-defaults
@@ -17,10 +17,11 @@
 (defn send!
   [{:keys [web3 message]}]
   {:pre [(valid? ::user-message message)]}
-  (let [message' (merge message-defaults
-                        (assoc message
-                          :type :message
-                          :requires-ack? true))]
+  (let [topics  (f/get-topics (:to message))
+        message' (assoc message
+                        :topics        topics
+                        :type          :message
+                        :requires-ack? true)]
     (debug :send-user-message message')
     (d/add-pending-message! web3 message')))
 
diff --git a/src/status_im/protocol/core.cljs b/src/status_im/protocol/core.cljs
index 583e890068..e4d0f13443 100644
--- a/src/status_im/protocol/core.cljs
+++ b/src/status_im/protocol/core.cljs
@@ -98,13 +98,13 @@
             web3
             {:key      identity
              :allowP2P true
-             :topics   [f/status-topic]}
+             :topics  (f/get-topics identity)}
             (l/message-listener listener-options))
           (inbox/initialize! web3))
       (f/add-filter!
         web3
         {:key    identity
-         :topics [f/status-topic]}
+         :topics (f/get-topics identity)}
         (l/message-listener listener-options)))
 
     ;; start listening to profiles
diff --git a/src/status_im/protocol/web3/filtering.cljs b/src/status_im/protocol/web3/filtering.cljs
index 08372d2106..316702ea0e 100644
--- a/src/status_im/protocol/web3/filtering.cljs
+++ b/src/status_im/protocol/web3/filtering.cljs
@@ -1,11 +1,32 @@
 (ns status-im.protocol.web3.filtering
   (:require [status-im.protocol.web3.utils :as u]
+            [status-im.utils.config :as config]
             [cljs.spec.alpha :as s]
             [taoensso.timbre :as log]))
 
+;; XXX(oskarth): Perf issue to have one topic
+;; See https://github.com/status-im/ideas/issues/55#issuecomment-355511183
 (def status-topic "0xaabb11ee")
+
 (defonce filters (atom {}))
 
+;; NOTE(oskarth): This has concerns for upgradability and chatting cross
+;; versions. How can we do this breaking change gradually?
+
+;; NOTE(oskarth): Due to perf we don't want a single topic for all messages,
+;; instead we want many. We need a way for user A and B to agree on which topics
+;; to use. By using first 10 characters of the pub-key, we construct a topic
+;; that requires no coordination for 1-1 chats.
+(defn identity->topic [identity]
+  (apply str (take 10 identity)))
+
+(defn get-topics [& [identity]]
+  (if config/many-whisper-topics-enabled?
+    (do (log/info "FLAG: many-whisper-topics-enabled ON")
+        [(identity->topic identity)])
+    (do (log/info "FLAG: many-whisper-topics-enabled OFF")
+        [status-topic])))
+
 (s/def ::options (s/keys :opt-un [:message/to :message/topics]))
 
 (defn remove-filter! [web3 options]
diff --git a/src/status_im/utils/config.cljs b/src/status_im/utils/config.cljs
index 000e0e2d14..9441dc2b1e 100644
--- a/src/status_im/utils/config.cljs
+++ b/src/status_im/utils/config.cljs
@@ -32,3 +32,4 @@
 
 (def jsc-enabled? (enabled? (get-config :JSC_ENABLED 0)))
 (def queue-message-enabled? (enabled? (get-config :QUEUE_MESSAGE_ENABLED 0)))
+(def many-whisper-topics-enabled? (enabled? (get-config :MANY_WHISPER_TOPICS_ENABLED 0)))