Elon Musk has revealed the rollout of an upgraded version of X’s Direct Messaging feature now called XChat, which introduces several advanced capabilities, including disappearing messages, end-to-end encryption, file sharing, and audio-video calling.
Currently in beta testing with a limited set of users, the new XChat is expected to become widely available this week, depending on how well the platform scales during the broader rollout.
Musk also shared technical details, stating that the revamped XChat is built using the Rust programming language and incorporates a “Bitcoin-style” encryption model with a completely new system architecture. However, this statement has sparked debate in the tech community, as Bitcoin’s security mechanism is based on public key cryptography not traditional encryption raising questions about whether Musk meant cryptography instead.
Positioning XChat as a future competitor to encrypted messaging services like Signal and iMessage, Musk reiterated his ambition to make private communication more secure and versatile on the X platform.
One notable update is that XChat users can now make audio and video calls without needing a phone number, across all devices and operating systems.
Prior to this launch, the company paused development of its earlier encrypted messaging features, signaling that XChat would take over as the platform’s flagship communication tool.
Despite the excitement surrounding the update, X has recently faced technical issues, with users experiencing intermittent outages and difficulty accessing timelines and messages, including XChat over the past week.
As India continues to witness rapid digital adoption, enhanced features like these could position XChat as a more viable communication platform among professionals, creators, and tech-savvy users.
