Signal CEO Whittaker said that in the worst case scenario, they would work with partners and the community to see if they could find ways to circumvent these rules. Signal also did this when the app was blocked in Russia or Iran. “But ultimately, we would leave the market before we had to comply with dangerous laws like these.”

This is why we need the ability to sideload apps.

Most likely the reason, among others, they’re fighting tooth & nail to remove side loading too.