Elon Musk launches XChat: a new messenger with end-to-end encryption, secret chats, calls, and Grok integration

XChat – a new messenger from the X network

The X social network, owned by Elon Musk, has officially released its own messenger, XChat, for iOS. The app, which has been testing with a limited group of users since the beginning of the year, is now available to everyone and offers full messaging: personal and group chats, file sharing, audio‑ and video calls.

What changed
- From “superapp” to separate products

Musk previously planned to bundle messenger, payments, shopping, and AI into one platform. Now XChat operates as an independent service, while the other functions (payment app, AI tools) are in separate test phases.

- Company strategy

The X network is seen as a launchpad for new products: messenger, payments, and more. The network’s owner is xAI (via SpaceX), which aims to create an ecosystem of several apps with different touchpoints.

- Users on X

Inside the network users already joke: Musk’s “superapp” has turned into three separate products – X, Grok, and XChat.

XChat features
Feature Description
Chats (personal/group) Text messaging support
Calls Audio‑ and video calls
File sharing Transfer of any file type
Privacy Edit, delete for everyone, disappearing messages mode, screenshot blocking
No ads The app contains no banner ads or trackers

XChat promises end‑to‑end encryption and access to messages only via a PIN code. However, experts have previously expressed doubts about the level of protection, especially given the app’s tie to the user profile: location, contact list, search history, and X page data.

Communities
XChat will also serve as a platform for X communities. The Communities feature was shut down due to low popularity and spam, but its launch coincided with the messenger release – this could encourage participants to install the new app.

> “This is just the beginning of what we’re building for messaging,” said lead designer Benji Taylor.

Conclusion
XChat is now available to all iOS users and represents a full‑featured messenger focused on privacy. It is part of Musk’s broader strategy to create an ecosystem of separate apps rather than a single “superapp.” Security specialists will reassess its protection after the official release.