Musk Announces X Chat: Encrypted, Ad-Free Alternative to WhatsApp

Elon Musk is preparing to launch a new standalone messaging platform called X Chat, designed to rival Telegram and WhatsApp with end-to-end encryption and zero ad tracking.

The rollout is expected “within a few months,” Musk said during an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on Friday.

Musk described X Chat as a peer-to-peer encrypted messenger, using an encryption model “similar to Bitcoin.” He emphasized that the app will prioritize privacy over monetization: “There are no hooks for advertising,” Musk said. “If an app knows enough about your messages to show you ads, that’s a massive security vulnerability.”

Aiming to Outdo WhatsApp on Privacy

While Meta’s WhatsApp claims to use end-to-end encryption via the Signal Protocol, Musk pointed out that the platform still collects metadata, such as who users talk to and how frequently. Backup chat data also remains unencrypted by default.

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Meta’s own FAQ confirms that WhatsApp shares certain user information with other Meta products, depending on integrations, though it avoids directly stating whether it sells data. Musk said X Chat will eliminate those risks entirely.

A Fully Encrypted Alternative on X

According to Musk, X Chat will serve as both an integrated feature within the X platform and a standalone application, offering private text, file sharing, voice, and video capabilities.

“Our goal is to replace the old Twitter DM stack with a fully encrypted system,” Musk explained. “I’m not saying it’s perfect, but it’ll be the least insecure messaging app out there.”