Elon Musk Launches ‘XChat’ with Bitcoin Architecture

Elon Musk has unveiled a new messaging feature for X called “XChat,” aimed at providing secure, encrypted communication to users while expanding the platform’s capabilities beyond social networking.

XChat Follows Encrypted Messaging Deactivation

In a post on X dated June 1, Musk announced that XChat includes end-to-end encrypted messages, disappearing messages, audio and video calls, and file sharing — all without requiring users to link their phone numbers.

“You can now send encrypted DMs, make video/audio calls, send money, and share files on XChat, using Bitcoin-style encryption,” Musk wrote. He further revealed that the new feature is built using the Rust programming language and is backed by a “whole new architecture.”

Source: X

The reference to “Bitcoin-style encryption” has drawn attention from the crypto community. Some experts, including Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dashjr, were quick to clarify that Bitcoin itself does not use traditional encryption for transactions. Instead, the term may refer to methods such as BIP-151, which proposes encrypted peer-to-peer communication between Bitcoin nodes.

The launch of XChat follows a brief deactivation of X’s previous encrypted messaging feature on May 29, which was temporarily taken down for improvements. Musk had promised that encrypted messaging would return in a more robust form, and XChat appears to be the result.

XChat is currently rolling out to paid subscribers on a limited basis. According to screenshots and reports from early users, encrypted messages are protected by a 4-digit passcode. The app does not rely on a phone number or centralized identifiers, aligning with Musk’s ambition to improve privacy and decentralization.

Toward the Vision of a Super App

The launch is part of Musk’s broader plan to transform X into an all-in-one super app, similar to China’s WeChat. In addition to XChat, Musk has also announced the upcoming launch of a payments feature known as “X Money,” which is expected to enter beta testing later this year.

“Extreme care is needed during testing, especially when it involves people’s money or savings,” Musk noted in a separate post.

With encrypted messaging, social media integration, and financial services all converging within a single ecosystem, X is positioning itself to challenge both messaging apps like Telegram and Signal, and fintech platforms such as Venmo and Cash App.

Industry analysts see XChat as a significant move toward Musk’s long-standing goal of turning X into a dominant force in global digital infrastructure. Whether users will embrace the new feature and trust Musk’s commitment to privacy and encryption remains to be seen.

Read more: Tether Remains Focused on Global Markets, Plans Regulated Stablecoin for Institutions