Not content with taking over our roads with Tesla, or our stars with SpaceX and Starlink, Elon Musk's endeavors to control the world now include the introduction of XChat as he tries to turn our once-beloved Twitter into the next WeChat.
There's already been a lot of chatter about X Money, which is somewhat ironic considering Elon Musk got his start with X.com, which eventually evolved into PayPal and made him a cool $175.8 million when it was sold to eBay in 2002.
His 2022 purchase of Twitter remains controversial, with the tech mogul overhauling everything from verification to blocking, as well as what contributes to abuse and harassment. These changes continue to divide, with even Grimes branding her former partner's platform as 'poison'.
What is XChat?
There were scandalous reports that X has been hemorrhaging money since Musk took charge, but in a surprise turnaround, it's apparently rebounded to near the $44 billion he paid for it. With this, Musk continues to innovate X amid promises it's going to be the next 'everything app' akin to China's WeChat.
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XChat is waiting in the wings and is ready to launch on iPhone and iPad. Note that an Android version isn't confirmed for the first stage, meaning only Apple fans can get in on the action. Still, with it initially supporting 46 languages and no need for the use of a phone, you simply need to have an X account.
XChat apparently has a minimalist interface, but will fulfil all your needs with voice and video calls, group chats containing up to 481 people, and the ability to send documents. You can also edit or delete messages, opt for disappearing messages, and even block screenshots to keep your chats locked up tight.
Screenshots show an app similar to Apple's iMessage, with a bit of WhatsApp thrown in for good measure.
When is XChat launching?
In the latest update, a listing on the Apple App Store confirms XChat is launching in a matter of days – set for release on April 17. In mid-2025, Musk first spoke about XChat having a "whole new architecture" and boasted about its encryption. In a time when Elizabeth Holmes is telling us to 'delete everything', it seems like a well-timed alternative. Let's also remember that Musk initially pencilled in June 2025 for XChat's launch, putting it alongside Tesla's robotaxi as another of his delayed rollouts.
Internal testing started in May 2025, before XChat entered iOS public beta in March 2026, hoping to make the most of X's 500 million monthly active users.
The App Store listing explains that XChat will have encryption, no user tracking, and no ads, suggesting that it's one for the average privacy-concerned user.
XChat's launch comes as WhatsApp faces a class-action lawsuit in California, following allegations that Meta and consulting firm Accenture broke promises of end-to-end encryption by intercepting private messages and sharing them with third parties.
Alongside Telegram founder Pavel Durov calling out WhatsApp's encryption claims, Musk has maintained that Meta can't be trusted as he funnels users to XChat for 'real privacy'.
Meta has clapped back against the lawsuit and called these claims “false and absurd," as it maintains that WhatsApp has used the same Signal encryption protocol for years.
More than just social media, adding messaging and financial potentials without leaving the comfort of X really looks like the platform is reaching Musk's promises of hitting that everything app brief.