In China, WeChat is far more than just a messaging tool—it’s a multifunctional super app combining social networking, payments, e-commerce, and more. Its international version, called “WeChat,” is well known worldwide, and most users recognize it as a powerful platform. Musk has long coveted WeChat’s success. On June 2, Musk posted on his social platform announcing the launch of a new app called “XChat,” which features encryption, self-destructing messages, the ability to send any type of file, and supports both audio and video calls.
The app, built on the Rust programming language, uses Bitcoin-style encryption technology and a new architecture, allowing for audio and video calls without the need for a phone number across all platforms. According to several tech media outlets, XChat has already been made available to some paid subscribers on the X platform, but regular users will need to wait for its full launch.
Isn’t This Just WeChat?
Alaric points out that XChat, as a dedicated communication tool, aims to compete with WhatsApp, Telegram, and China’s WeChat. Musk’s ambitions for social media were apparent even before acquiring Twitter. He has frequently expressed his admiration for WeChat, viewing it as a multifunctional super app that goes far beyond the single-function platform that Twitter represents.
With Twitter now rebranded as X and the launch of XChat, Musk is trying to replicate WeChat’s model in the U.S. He believes Twitter should not just be a platform for publishing messages but should become a super app that serves all aspects of users’ lives—a truly all-in-one application.
This vision aligns closely with WeChat’s model. With its powerful combination of social networking, payments, shopping, and life services, WeChat has achieved immense success in the Chinese market, becoming an integral part of users’ daily lives. Musk hopes that XChat can achieve the same goal, transforming X into a super platform that connects people, services, and information.
After merging Twitter into X Holdings, Musk explained that acquiring Twitter was the catalyst for creating X—the app for everything.
Musk has repeatedly praised WeChat, stating in a 2022 interview, “If you’re in China, you can basically live inside WeChat; it does everything.” He even mentioned that he planned to copy WeChat’s model, saying, “It’s like Twitter plus PayPal with an excellent user interface. It’s really a great app. There is nothing like it outside of China.”
XChat’s Goal: Not Just Copying WeChat, But Surpassing It
XChat aims not only to replicate WeChat’s features but to surpass them. Musk envisions XChat as an all-in-one platform integrating payments, banking services, e-commerce, social networking, and content creation. By integrating these features, XChat aims to significantly enhance the user experience, simplify life processes, and ultimately become an indispensable part of users’ lives.
However, Musk’s American WeChat dream is not without challenges. In the competitive social media market, XChat faces strong competition from established giants like Facebook and Telegram.
Facebook’s Dominance: As the world’s largest social media platform, Facebook has a vast user base and strong network effects. With its subsidiaries Instagram and WhatsApp, Facebook has a strong competitive edge in social networking, communication, and image sharing. To steal users from Facebook, XChat must offer compelling, unique features.
WhatsApp’s Reach: With over 3 billion monthly active users across 180+ countries, WhatsApp offers group chats for up to 1024 people, community features, and seamless cross-device synchronization. WhatsApp also provides all paid features for free, offering a consistent user experience.
Telegram’s Strength: Known for its robust encryption and simple user interface, Telegram has unique advantages in privacy protection and community features, attracting users who prioritize privacy and information security.
To compete with Telegram, XChat will need to make significant efforts in privacy protection.
Challenges in Implementing Payment Features
In terms of payment functionality, XChat faces the challenge of competing with the existing U.S. payment systems and convincing users to change their habits.
The U.S. already has a mature payment system, with Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal as dominant players. XChat will have to break through these payment system barriers and persuade users to abandon existing payment methods in favor of XChat’s payment function. This will be a significant challenge.
Additionally, payment compliance in the U.S. is particularly complicated. Under Musk’s leadership, X has only secured payment licenses in 39 out of the 50 U.S. states.
In January 2025, Musk revealed a partnership with Visa that will enable X users to make payments like they do with Alipay and other transfer apps.
XChat’s Potential for Success
Despite numerous challenges, XChat still has a fighting chance.
Musk’s Influence: As a tech leader, Musk commands significant influence, and his every move is closely watched. This gives XChat a substantial promotional advantage.
User Base: While XChat hasn’t reached WhatsApp’s 3 billion users, X’s daily active users are 250 million, with nearly 600 million monthly active users. This provides a solid foundation for rapid user acquisition and scaling up.
However, XChat’s success also faces many risks. U.S. users have become accustomed to using different apps for different needs—such as Facebook for socializing, Amazon for shopping, and banking apps for payments. Changing these user habits and consolidating all these features into one app will require tremendous effort.
Moreover, as a social media platform with payment functionality, XChat will face strict regulatory scrutiny. Compliance costs will be high, and it may face restrictions from government regulators.
Since Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, users have raised concerns about content moderation and privacy protection. In April 2025, a significant data breach affected over 200 million X platform users, undermining public confidence in its privacy protection. In May 2025, XChat suffered a server overload during an upgrade, leading to a 35% failure rate in image loading and disruptions to core functions like XMoney payments. XChat will need to rebuild user trust and ensure that user data is adequately protected.
Conclusion: Musk’s Ambitious Vision
Musk’s launch of XChat is a significant step in his attempt to create America’s WeChat. This ambitious journey faces intense competition from established players and significant challenges, but Musk’s influence, X’s existing user base, and its innovative features provide a foundation for potential success. However, changing user habits, regulatory risks, and trust issues will present significant obstacles. Whether XChat will succeed depends on whether Musk can effectively address these challenges and create an app that truly meets users’ needs while shaping the industry. The success or failure of XChat will have far-reaching implications for the entire social media industry.