Sanct is entering the social networking market with an app designed to help users stay connected to their closest friends and family through private sharing, conversations and daily virtual gatherings.
Following its Singapore debut on 28 September, the app’s announced rollout expands to Malaysia and Indonesia on 30 September 2026. The initial release is for iPhone, with an Android version still pending, according to the company’s launch announcement.
Developed by Singapore-registered Sanct Social, founded by Indonesian entrepreneur Sion Abednego, the platform centres on small personal networks. Users choose whether a moment is visible to their whole circle, selected friends or only themselves.
Sanct’s approach to building those circles starts with real-world contact. Its launch materials encourage users to meet and scan each other’s QR codes to establish their first connections. Search and friend suggestions become available after five friends have been added, with discovery limited to friends of friends.
One of the app’s defining features is the Sanctum, a virtual beach that opens every evening at 6pm. Friends and family can gather in the digital space, which includes a fire, shoreline and picnic area, before it closes for the night. The feature gives users a recurring opportunity to spend time together within the app.
Other tools include group chats, reactions, voice and video calls, and location check-ins visible to a user’s circle. Sleep check-ins and a morning screen also allow users to share aspects of their daily routines.
An in-app companion called Sancty offers optional habit reminders, including prompts around meals and bedtime. These reminders are switched off by default, according to the launch announcement.
Sanct says it has no public feed or advertising and does not sell user data. The company also states that information processed by Sancty stays within the user’s account and is not used to train public AI models. Its core features will remain free, with optional premium features planned for later.
For the new platform, the challenge will be turning its emphasis on close relationships into a lasting daily habit. Its launch proposition is straightforward: give a small circle of people more opportunities to check in, share ordinary moments and spend time together.
