Elon Musk, the entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX, and X, has revealed a new messaging platform called X Chat—and he claims it could dramatically reshape the future of secure online communication.
Expected to roll out within the next few months, X Chat will rely on peer-to-peer encryption “similar to Bitcoin’s,” a move Musk says will keep conversations private while eliminating the need for ad-driven data tracking.
The announcement was made during Musk’s appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, where he shared that his team had “rebuilt the entire messaging stack” from scratch.
“It’s using a sort of peer-to-peer-based encryption system,” Musk said. “So, it’s kind of similar to Bitcoin. I think, it’s very good encryption.”
Musk has repeatedly spoken out against mainstream messaging apps and their data practices. With X Chat, he intends to introduce a platform that avoids the “hooks for advertising” found in most competitors—hooks he believes create dangerous vulnerabilities.
“(When a messaging app) knows enough about what you’re texting to know what ads to show you, that’s a massive security vulnerability,” he said.
“If it knows enough information to show you ads, that’s a lot of information,” he added, warning that attackers could exploit the same data pathways to access private messages.
He emphasized that his approach to digital safety views security on a spectrum rather than a binary system. The goal, according to Musk, is to make X Chat “the least insecure” option available.
When launched, X Chat is expected to rival established encrypted platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram. However, Musk insists that X Chat will differentiate itself by maintaining stricter privacy boundaries.
While Meta states that WhatsApp’s communications use end-to-end encryption powered by the Signal Protocol, analysts note that WhatsApp still gathers metadata—details about user interactions—which is not encrypted. Additionally, chat backups remain unencrypted unless users enable that setting manually.
Musk argues that eliminating advertising components from X Chat’s architecture removes many of these weak points entirely.
A beta version of X Chat is already accessible to Premium subscribers on X. Early features include text messaging, file transfers, photos, GIFs, and other media, all associated with X usernames rather than phone numbers. Audio and video calls are expected once the app reaches full launch. Users will be able to run X Chat inside the main X interface or download it separately, allowing messaging, file sharing, and calls across devices.
Some industry observers believe X Chat could influence the digital payments space as well. Its encryption model aligns closely with the principles of decentralization and data ownership found in blockchain ecosystems. Analysts suggest the app may complement bitcoin-based payroll platforms, where secure communication is essential for financial discussions.
Still, the announcement has raised skepticism. Privacy researchers and cryptography experts are questioning how transparent Musk will be about the underlying encryption system. Although Musk refers to it as “Bitcoin-style,” technical documentation and details about independent audits have not been released.
Experts speculate Musk is referring to public-key cryptography—the same foundational technology used in Bitcoin and Nostr.
Critics argue that any messaging platform seeking credibility in the privacy community must be open-source for verification. Some also note that trust issues may arise due to past concerns surrounding Musk-owned platforms and their handling of user data and content moderation.