Elon Musk’s XChat aims to revolutionize messaging on X with encrypted communication, file sharing and vanishing messages—but early outages and unclear encryption claims cast shadows over the rollout. (Source: Image by RR)

Rebuilt With Rust, XChat Adds Audio and Video Calling Without Phone Numbers

Elon Musk announced that X (formerly Twitter) is rolling out an updated direct messaging system called XChat, which introduces several advanced features such as encrypted messaging, vanishing messages, file sharing and audio/video calling. Though still in beta with limited users, Musk stated that the full rollout is expected this week, barring any scalability problems. These features mark X’s most significant attempt yet to evolve from a social media platform into a broader communication tool.

The new XChat system is reportedly rebuilt from the ground up using Rust, a programming language known for safety and performance. Musk also described the architecture as using “Bitcoin-style encryption,” a term that has sparked confusion. Experts, according to an article in techcrunch.com, have pointed out that Bitcoin itself is not encrypted—it relies on public key cryptography—raising questions about whether Musk misused the term or is leaning into vague marketing language.

Despite Musk’s ambition for XChat to rival secure platforms like Signal and iMessage, skepticism remains. Without clear and independently verified implementation of end-to-end encryption, XChat’s security claims are not likely to convince privacy-conscious users. That said, the platform now allows users to initiate audio and video calls across platforms without a phone number, a feature aimed at increasing accessibility and convenience.

However, the launch has not been entirely smooth. X has suffered a series of outages in recent days, affecting core features including timeline browsing and XChat functionality. The instability has raised concerns about whether the platform’s infrastructure can handle the planned feature expansion. As the rollout of XChat continues, both users and critics will be watching closely to assess its performance, privacy and long-term viability.

read more at techcrunch.com