Elon Musk launches XChat with ‘Bitcoin-style encryption’ amid crypto debate

Elon Musk has announced a important update to X, the societal media level formerly known arsenic Twitter. A caller feature, called XChat, is present rolling out, offering backstage messaging secured by what Musk calls “Bitcoin-style encryption.”

He stated:

“All caller XChat is rolling retired with encryption, vanishing messages and the quality to nonstop immoderate benignant of file. Also, audio/video calling.”

XChat replaces the platform’s modular nonstop messaging with a much precocious system. It supports end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, and sending assorted record types.

At the aforesaid time, users tin initiate dependable and video calls without linking a telephone number. This would beryllium designed to enactment crossed devices and operating systems.

Musk described XChat arsenic a implicit rebuild, developed utilizing the Rust programming language. He emphasized that the encryption exemplary borrows from concepts utilized successful Bitcoin’s architecture, though helium did not connection method details.

The determination reflects Musk’s ambition to alteration X into a multi-purpose level that combines societal networking, communications, and fiscal services.

Last month, Musk confirmed that X would soon rotation retired a payments work successful beta mode. He said:

“This volition beryllium a precise constricted entree beta astatine first. When people’s redeeming are involved, utmost attraction indispensable beryllium taken.”

This builds connected X CEO Linda Yaccarino’s earlier connection that X Money, a integer wallet service, is expected aboriginal this year. The level is partnering with Visa, allowing users to link debit cards, nonstop funds, and behaviour peer-to-peer payments straight wrong the app.

Crypto assemblage divided implicit ‘Bitcoin-Style’ encryption

Musk’s notation to “Bitcoin-style encryption” has stirred statement successful the crypto space, with immoderate developers arguing that the operation is misleading.

Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dashjr pushed back, stating that Bitcoin itself doesn’t usage encryption and criticized the prime of Rust for security-critical components. He noted:

“Bitcoin doesn’t adjacent usage encryption.. Also Rust is woke.”

On the different hand, BitMEX Research suggested Musk whitethorn beryllium referencing BIP-151, a connection to encrypt information exchanged betwixt Bitcoin nodes.

Meanwhile, Wei Dai of 1kx speculated that the notation could subordinate to Bitcoin’s peer-to-peer connection design. He said:

“‘Bitcoin style’ ~= ‘Peer-to-peer’ ~= ‘end-to-end.’ So ‘Bitcoin benignant encryption’ means ‘end-to-end encryption.'”

Other experts pointed to Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), a mathematical method utilized successful Bitcoin to make and negociate backstage keys, arsenic a imaginable explanation.

Despite the mixed reactions, XChat is present disposable successful beta to immoderate premium subscribers and is wide viewed arsenic a nonstop situation to privacy-focused apps similar WhatsApp and Signal.

If successful, XChat could people a important measurement guardant successful Musk’s imaginativeness of a secure, all-in-one connection and concern hub.

The station Elon Musk launches XChat with ‘Bitcoin-style encryption’ amid crypto debate appeared archetypal connected CryptoSlate.