X is introducing a new messaging platform called XChat as part of Elon Musk’s broader strategy to turn the social media site into an all-in-one app.
“All new XChat is rolling out with encryption, vanishing messages and the ability to send any kind of file. Also, audio/video calling. This is built on Rust with (Bitcoin style) encryption, whole new architecture,” Musk posted on X.
Musk did not explain what he meant by “Bitcoin-style encryption,” a phrase that typically refers to the cryptocurrency’s use of public key cryptography and digital signatures rather than end-to-end encryption. He has spoken in the past about his desire to have X’s direct messaging feature compete with encrypted platforms like Signal, iMessage, and WhatsApp.
This news about XChat coincides with Musk stating he’s back to focusing on X, Tesla, xAI, and SpaceX.
XChat’s features and expected rollout
Musk shared on X that XChat users will be able to make audio and video calls across all platforms, even without a phone number.
It is not yet clear whether the new features will be available in a subscription model, but currently, they seem to be accessible to anyone who subscribes to X. There will also be an option to use a four-digit passcode to access XChat. For the past two years, those with a subscription have been able to send encrypted DMs on X.
The platform has been testing XChat with a limited group of users, and Musk said a full rollout is expected this week unless the team encounters scaling problems.
X’s stability called into question
The X platform has recently experienced service disruptions that raised concerns about its reliability.
In late May, access was disrupted for thousands of users in the US, more than 11,000 in the UK, and many more globally. Engineers attributed the outage to a fire at a data center leased by X in Hillsboro, Oregon.
There was another significant outage in March, which Musk linked to a “massive cyberattack.”
In 2024, X said the site has an average of 250 million active users per day.