Elon Musk, the billionaire behind Tesla, SpaceX and X, has announced a new messaging app called X Chat — a project he claims will change digital privacy and communication forever.
The app, set to launch in the coming months, will use peer-to-peer encryption “similar to Bitcoin’s,” ensuring conversations remain private and free from advertising data collection.
The announcement came during Musk’s recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, where he explained that his team had “rebuilt the entire messaging stack” from the ground up.
“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 long criticized traditional messaging apps for how they handle user data, and with X Chat, he’s aiming to offer something different. The app will reportedly avoid “hooks for advertising”, a feature Musk says makes other platforms vulnerable to privacy breaches.
“(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,” adding that and hackers could use those same hooks to read private messages.
This approach, Musk explained, is part of his broader philosophy that security should be viewed as “degrees of insecurity,” not a simple on-or-off switch. His goal is to make X Chat “the least insecure” messaging app on the market.
X Chat will likely become a direct competitor to encrypted messaging giants like WhatsApp and Telegram, but Musk insists it will stand apart through its strict privacy standards.
WhatsApp’s parent company, Meta, says messages on its platform are end-to-end encrypted using the Signal Protocol, which protects messages, voice notes, and media from unauthorized access.
However, experts often point out that WhatsApp still collects metadata — information about who users chat with and how frequently — which is not encrypted.
Backups of chat histories also remain unprotected unless users turn encryption on manually. Musk argues that removing advertising infrastructure from X Chat’s design will eliminate many of these vulnerabilities altogether.
The beta version of X Chat is already available to Premium users on X. It currently supports text messaging, file sharing, photos, GIFs, and media attachments, all linked to X handles rather than phone numbers. Audio and video calling features are planned for the full release.
Once fully launched, users will have the option to use X Chat as part of the main X platform or download it as a standalone app. Musk says both versions will allow people to text, share files, and make audio or video calls, promising a seamless and secure experience across devices.
Interestingly, some analysts believe X Chat could also impact the digital payment space. The app’s encryption model seems to be aligned closely with the ideals of decentralization and data sovereignty that underpin blockchain technology.
In particular, X Chat could play a role in supporting bitcoin-based payroll systems — platforms that allow employees to receive payments in bitcoin or stablecoins.
As more companies adopt blockchain-based payroll tools, secure communication channels become vital for discussing financial transactions.
Despite the excitement, not everyone is convinced. Some privacy advocates and tech experts have raised questions about how transparent X Chat will be about its encryption technology.
While Musk describes the system as “Bitcoin-style,” he hasn’t yet released detailed documentation or announced whether it will undergo independent security audits.
What Musk probably refers to is the use of public key cryptography, which is currently the encryption behind Bitcoin and Nostr.
Critics argue that for a messaging app to gain serious credibility in the privacy space, open-source verification is essential. Others point out that users may be hesitant to fully trust an app owned by Musk, whose platforms have occasionally faced scrutiny over data policies and content moderation.
