Elon Musk releases Telegram-like messenger for select users: X Chat now testing on iPhone

Elon Musk’s company X Corp has begun closed testing of a standalone messaging app called X Chat, a new platform designed to offer a more secure and independent alternative to existing messaging services. According to PCMag, citing data from TestFlight and comments from xAI product designer Michael Boswell, the service is currently being tested by a limited group of users.

What is known about the app so far

The beta version of X Chat became available to a restricted group of iOS users through Apple’s TestFlight platform. The initial testing quota of 1,000 users was filled in less than two hours, after which the developers expanded the program to 5,000 participants. This rapid sign-up rate indicates strong interest in the project even before its official launch.

Michael Boswell explained that the team had been working on the application for several months and was now actively collecting user feedback in order to refine the service before a wider release. He also noted that X Chat is being developed as a standalone product, rather than simply an extension of the direct messaging system within the social network X (formerly Twitter).

In terms of functionality, the app largely mirrors the updated Direct Messages section in X, which received a significant upgrade at the end of 2025. The current features include:

• encrypted chats
• sending media files
• password protection for conversations
• message editing
• automatic message deletion via timer

The key distinction, however, is the focus on security. Elon Musk has repeatedly criticized existing messaging platforms — including WhatsApp and Signal — questioning how well they actually protect user data. According to the report, X Chat uses a peer-to-peer encryption model, which Musk has compared to the architecture of Bitcoin, meaning there is no central server responsible for storing encryption keys.

Why now and who it is for

The launch of the beta version coincides with several broader trends:

• growing distrust toward major messaging platforms following controversies involving moderation and data sharing
• the rapid expansion of the X ecosystem, including payment systems, video services, and AI features
• Musk’s stated goal of creating an alternative to Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal where users retain full control over their data

At the moment, the application is available only to iOS testers. An Android version and a public release are expected later, most likely sometime in 2026.

Prospects and risks

If X Chat ultimately delivers uncompromising end-to-end encryption along with a user-friendly interface, it could become a serious competitor to Telegram and Signal. However, the project has already raised several questions:

• whether the promised privacy will remain intact if the service becomes deeply integrated with the social network X
• how issues such as spam and moderation will be addressed
• whether the platform can attract a mass audience without familiar features such as stickers, channels, and bots

For now, X Chat appears to be Musk’s ambitious attempt to build what could be described as “his own Telegram” — a secure, decentralized messaging platform designed to give users maximum control over their data.

In brief

X Corp, Elon Musk’s company, has launched beta testing of a standalone messaging app called X Chat for iOS through TestFlight. The service replicates many of the functions of X’s direct messages but adds encrypted chats, message editing, timed deletion, and a peer-to-peer encryption model inspired by Bitcoin. Testing began with 1,000 users and was quickly expanded to 5,000. Musk presents X Chat as a more secure alternative to WhatsApp and Signal, with a public release expected in 2026.