Elon Musk has unveiled XChat, a new messaging feature on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Developed in Rust, XChat includes modern features such as end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, file sharing, and voice/video calls. However, Musk's reference to "Bitcoin-style encryption" has triggered controversy among technology experts.
Critics point out that Bitcoin’s infrastructure relies primarily on digital signatures, not encryption. Ian Miers, a computer science professor at the University of Maryland, mocked the claim by saying, “Bitcoin uses signatures, not encryption. That’s like saying NASA powers rockets with water because they use hydrogen and oxygen.” Experts emphasize that Bitcoin verifies transactions through digital signatures rather than encrypting them.
Meanwhile, the crypto market remained largely unshaken by the announcement. Bitcoin (BTC) continues to trade sideways around $105,000, following a 3% drop last week. Analysts suggest that investor caution and uncertainty about the technical specifics of XChat are keeping market reactions muted
