In his ongoing quest to reinvent the digital experience, Elon Musk has launched a new feature called XChat — an ambitious, security-focused messaging service designed to rival global giants like WhatsApp and Telegram. Introduced as part of the broader transformation of Twitter into the X platform, XChat is being positioned as more than just another messaging app — it’s a cornerstone of Musk’s effort to build a Western equivalent of China’s WeChat.
And with more than 2 billion monthly active users on WhatsApp and over 900 million users on Telegram, Musk is clearly setting his sights high.
What Is XChat?
XChat is the latest addition to the X platform, and it’s already raising eyebrows for its promise of end-to-end encryption, cross-platform audio and video calls, and disappearing messages — all wrapped in a secure, fast architecture built using the Rust programming language. The feature is currently available to X Premium (paid) subscribers in a beta release and is expected to roll out more widely in the coming months.
Unlike Twitter’s traditional direct messages, XChat is a full-fledged messaging service, offering features more commonly found in modern chat apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal. Early screenshots and leaks suggest that users can lock messages behind a four-digit passcode, activate vanish mode, and share a wide range of files securely.
Core Features of XChat
Here are the standout capabilities of XChat that are drawing attention:
- End-to-End Encryption: Ensures only the sender and recipient can read messages — even X cannot access them.
- Audio and Video Calling: Fully integrated calling across mobile and desktop users, matching offerings from WhatsApp and Telegram.
- Disappearing Messages: A privacy feature that deletes chats after a set time period, offering added confidentiality.
- Message Locking with Passcode: Offers users extra security on sensitive conversations.
- File Sharing: Ability to send virtually any file type, making it versatile for professional use.
- Group Chats: Collaborative features for teams or communities, including vanish mode and message encryption.
Together, these features position XChat not just as an upgrade to Twitter DMs, but as a serious player in the messaging arena.
XChat in the Bigger Picture
Elon Musk’s vision is bigger than messaging. He’s repeatedly expressed his desire to turn X into an “everything app” — combining social networking, payments, shopping, streaming, and more. In this sense, XChat serves as a foundational layer, similar to how WeChat began as a messaging app before evolving into a super app that over 1.3 billion users in China rely on for everyday life.
If successful, XChat could be the gateway for X to enter not just conversations, but transactions, entertainment, and digital identity.
The Competitive Landscape
Competing with messaging giants like WhatsApp and Telegram won’t be easy.
- WhatsApp, owned by Meta, dominates globally with over 2 billion active users, especially in markets like India, Brazil, Nigeria, and parts of Europe.
- Telegram, known for its strong encryption and openness, now boasts over 900 million monthly active users and continues to grow among privacy-conscious users.
These platforms benefit from network effects — people use them because their friends, family, and colleagues do. For XChat to disrupt this space, it must offer not just comparable features, but a compelling reason to switch or supplement usage.
Musk, however, is betting on one advantage: X is already a social graph. If XChat can seamlessly integrate messaging with the social, media, and commerce functions Musk plans for the platform, it could gain traction organically — especially among X’s 500+ million active users.
What Comes Next?
As beta testing continues and feedback rolls in, the big question will be: Will XChat catch on? Can it offer a blend of privacy, usability, and utility strong enough to shift habits away from entrenched platforms?
One thing is clear — Elon Musk is not just building features, he’s shaping an ecosystem. If XChat becomes the default messaging layer of that ecosystem, it could open the door to an entirely new kind of super app for the Western world.
Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a startup founder, or just someone watching the next big digital shift, XChat is worth keeping an eye on.
