Elon Musk Unveils XChat: Can His “Bitcoin-Style” Encryption Beat WhatsApp?

When Elon Musk makes an announcement, the world listens, and this week, the tech billionaire delivered again. On June 1, Musk revealed XChat, a revamped messaging feature for the X app (formerly Twitter), promising a leap forward in privacy and functionality. The new service, which Musk claims will roll out to all users “this week,” is already making waves with its bold promise: “Bitcoin-style encryption,” vanishing messages, and cross-platform audio/video calls — all without needing a phone number.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.XChat isn’t just a facelift for Twitter’s old direct messages. According to Musk, it’s a “whole new architecture” built on the Rust programming language, known for its speed and security. The goal? To turn X into the Western answer to WeChat — a true “everything app” where you can chat, call, share files, and soon, even pay and bank, all in one place.BREAKING: Let’s take a look at X’s upcoming messenger “XChat”! pic.twitter.com/h0rySubehyEarly screenshots from app researcher Nimo Owji show a sleek interface with options for vanishing messages (from 5 minutes to 8 hours), secure group chats, and a four-digit passcode for added privacy. These features put XChat in direct competition with WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram.Musk’s claim that XChat uses “Bitcoin-style encryption” has stirred plenty of buzz—and skepticism. While Bitcoin’s protocol is famous for its cryptographic security, it mainly relies on digital signatures and hashing, not traditional message encryption.Seriously, what is Bitcoin style encryption? Bitcoin primarily uses signatures, not encryption.
This is like saying, we decided to run our rocket on water, since NASA uses Hydrogen and Oxygen. https://t.co/dWZhV6H4TkCrypto influencer Samson Mow and developer Luke Dashjr echoed the confusion, with Dashjr noting, “Bitcoin doesn’t even use encryption,” and others speculating Musk may be referring to BIP-151, a proposal for encrypting Bitcoin node data.Bitcoin doesn’t even use encryption..

Also Rust is wokeDespite the technical debate, XChat’s privacy features are timely. End-to-end encryption and vanishing messages have become must-haves for journalists, activists, and anyone wary of surveillance. XChat’s promise to deliver these on a massive scale could make X a safe haven for private communication — if the implementation matches the hype.Comparison chart: WhatsApp vs Signal vs Telegram privacy features. Source: LIA InfraservicesThe launch is also a strategic move in Musk’s quest to make X a “global marketplace” and financial platform. With X Money, a digital wallet service, already in beta, Musk is positioning X as the go-to app for everything from chatting to payments.As XChat rolls out to early users, the crypto and tech communities are watching closely. Will Musk’s new feature set a new standard for privacy — or will technical ambiguities hold it back? One thing is certain: XChat’s arrival is shaking up the messaging landscape, and the debate over “bitcoin-style encryption” is just getting started.Get Started on eToro