X has begun a wide rollout of its revamped direct messaging system – now branded as XChat or simply “Chat” – bringing end-to-end encryption and enhanced messaging features to all users. What was previously limited to subscribers is now becoming broadly available, marking a major step in Elon Musk’s vision to transform the app into a more comprehensive communication platform.
The new Chat interface supports a range of features designed to rival mainstream messaging apps. Users can share files, edit or delete sent messages, and enable disappearing (“vanishing”) DMs. There is also built-in screenshot protection and the ability to launch video calls directly within the chat. According to X, voice memos are also on the roadmap.
Under the hood, XChat has been rebuilt on a fresh backend architecture using Rust. Musk has described this structure as employing “Bitcoin-style encryption,” a characterization that has drawn scrutiny given the complexity and ambiguity of the term in cryptographic contexts.
Despite the feature’s rollout, security experts have raised questions about its robustness. According to X’s own documentation, the system does not defend against man-in-the-middle attacks – meaning that, under certain conditions, a compromised system insider or legal pressure could potentially access message metadata. Some researchers argue that until X provides technical proofs or supports additional safeguards (such as device verification), elements of the encryption are still based on trust.
This launch follows a temporary pause earlier in 2025, when X suspended its original encrypted DM feature to rework its messaging architecture. The updated system is now positioning X not just as a social feed but as a more private and utilitarian messaging app—a core part of Musk’s ambition to turn X into a multipurpose “everything app” combining social, financial, and communication services.
