Elon Musk has officially unveiled X Chat, a new encrypted messaging feature on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter. The launch, which began rolling out to users in early June 2025, marks a significant step in Musk's ambition to transform X into an "everything app," similar to WeChat in China, by integrating various services like messaging, payments, and social networking.
X Chat aims to replace the standard direct messaging (DM) system on X with a more private and feature-rich experience. Musk has emphasized security as a key priority, stating that X Chat employs a "Bitcoin-style" encryption architecture. The new messaging service offers features such as end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, file sharing, and audio/video calls across platforms without needing a phone number.
The announcement of X Chat has generated both excitement and skepticism within the tech and cryptography communities. Musk's claim of "Bitcoin-style" encryption has particularly raised eyebrows, as Bitcoin itself is not encrypted in the conventional messaging sense. Experts have pointed out that Bitcoin primarily uses signatures and cryptographic protocols rather than encryption. This has led to questions about the true nature and strength of X Chat's encryption. It may refer to the use of cryptographic techniques similar to those used in blockchain systems.
Security researchers have voiced concerns about X Chat's implementation, especially regarding the storage and handling of private keys. Unlike Signal, which securely stores private keys on users' devices, X Chat reportedly stores them on its servers, raising concerns about potential manipulation and decryption of messages by malicious insiders or the company itself. Concerns have also been raised due to the lack of Perfect Forward Secrecy and the fact that XChat's implementation is not open source.
Despite the skepticism, Musk aims to position X Chat as a direct competitor to established messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. X Chat is built on Rust, a programming language known for its speed and security. The new architecture is intended to provide a more robust and versatile platform for private communication.
The rollout of X Chat began with X Premium subscribers, with plans to expand access to all users. The feature can be found on the X website under Messages or directly from the Chat option in the X mobile app. While X Chat does not replace the existing DMs on X, it introduces a separate tab labeled "unencrypted," suggesting a potential transition towards phasing out the older system.
Whether X Chat will gain widespread adoption and trust remains to be seen. The platform faces challenges in convincing users to migrate from established apps with strong encryption and large user bases. The success of X Chat will depend on its reliability, security, and seamless integration within the X ecosystem.
