X is preparing to launch a new chat function featuring peer-to-peer encryption that CEO Elon Musk likens to Bitcoin’s robust security, aiming to establish it as a leading private messaging platform.
Musk unveiled details of the new offering during a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, describing it as “the least insecure messenger” on the market. He emphasized that the encryption is “very good and similar to Bitcoin.”
The new architecture for X’s messaging system is designed to eliminate “advertising hooks” common in competitor applications like WhatsApp. Musk explained that this approach significantly reduces potential vulnerabilities, enhancing user privacy.
Currently in a beta phase, the chat feature is exclusive to X Premium subscribers. It supports text messaging, along with the sharing of files, photos, and GIFs. User identities are linked to X usernames rather than phone numbers.
While audio and video calling capabilities are not yet available, Musk confirmed they would be implemented soon. X plans to maintain an integrated chat within its main application, but will also launch a separate “X Chat” app in the coming months with identical features.
Musk clarified that security is not absolute, but rather exists in “degrees of insecurity.” He noted that many conventional applications retain user metadata, such as message counterparts and timestamps, for advertising purposes, making them more susceptible to security breaches.
The X Chat system aims to minimize the information stored by the service, applying end-to-end encryption to all message content. This peer-to-peer model, inspired by Bitcoin’s decentralized robustness, is undergoing extensive testing to prevent any backdoors.
The announcement comes amid increasing global concern over digital privacy and growing regulatory pressure on major technology companies regarding personal data handling. Musk seeks to position X, formerly Twitter, as a secure and decentralized communication hub.
Since acquiring Twitter in 2022, Musk has been transforming the platform into an “everything app,” similar to China’s WeChat, by integrating payments, video, and now advanced messaging. This move aligns with his vision for a censorship-free and private digital ecosystem, embracing cryptographic principles.
The cryptocurrency community active on X has widely praised the comparison to Bitcoin, viewing X Chat as a significant step toward broader adoption of decentralized technologies in everyday use.