Elon Musk Unveils XChat Messaging App, But Experts Question 'Bitcoin-Style' Security Claims
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Tech billionaire Elon Musk has announced the launch of XChat, a new messaging application under the X (formerly Twitter) brand. Despite bold claims about advanced security and privacy features, the app has received a lukewarm response from both the tech community and the broader crypto market.
What Is XChat?
According to Musk, XChat is designed with privacy in mind. Key features include end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, cross-platform file sharing, and user access without requiring a phone number. The app is reportedly built using the Rust programming language and is said to incorporate “Bitcoin-style encryption.”
However, this description has raised eyebrows among cybersecurity experts and crypto developers. Many argue that the phrase “Bitcoin-style encryption” is technically misleading.
Experts Weigh In
“Bitcoin primarily uses digital signatures, not encryption,” said Ian Miers, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Maryland. “This is like saying, ‘we decided to run our rocket on water, since NASA uses Hydrogen and Oxygen.’”
Miers added that Bitcoin transactions are publicly visible and signed, not encrypted, and that network communication between Bitcoin nodes is largely unencrypted. He also cautioned that neither Rust nor vague allusions to Bitcoin offer a clear picture of XChat’s security architecture.
“'Bitcoin-style' and 'Rust' are not encryption schemes, nor do they guarantee strong messaging security,” Miers noted. “Unless end-to-end encryption is implemented entirely within the app and properly audited, those claims should be viewed skeptically.”
Market Reaction
The launch of XChat has had little impact on the cryptocurrency market. Bitcoin, the world’s largest digital asset by market value, remained stable near $BTC 105,000 after a 3% dip last week, according to CoinDesk data.
The Bottom Line
While XChat promises a new take on secure messaging, the tech and crypto communities remain cautious. Until Musk’s claims are backed by technical documentation and third-party audits, experts urge users to take the app’s privacy features with a grain of salt.
