Elon Musk moves X closer to becoming an 'everything app' with X Money rollout

Elon Musk has nudged X a step closer to his long-promised vision of an "everything app", with the platform expanding access to its digital payments service, X Money, for a select group of premium users in the United States.

The rollout is the latest sign that Musk wants X, formerly Twitter, to evolve far beyond a social media platform. His larger ambition is to turn it into a single destination where users can post, message, shop and move money without ever leaving the app.

Dhruv Batura, who now heads X Money, said on Thursday that the service is being opened up to more users as the company gradually widens access.

What is X Money?

X Money is being built as a digital wallet inside the X ecosystem, allowing users to send and receive money, hold funds and eventually tap into a wider range of financial services.

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The service runs on Visa Direct, following a partnership between X and Visa announced earlier this year. That tie-up gives X access to Visa's payments infrastructure and enables near real-time transfers.

The company has also secured more than 25 money transmitter licences across US states, a crucial regulatory step that allows it to operate financial services in multiple jurisdictions.

For now, X Money will support only fiat currencies. Despite Musk's long-standing interest in cryptocurrencies such as Dogecoin, the platform will not initially include crypto payments.

Premium users get first access

The feature is currently being rolled out to a limited set of X Premium subscribers in the US.

Premium subscriptions, which begin at $8 a month, already come with perks such as fewer ads, creator monetisation tools and improved visibility on the platform. Adding payments to that bundle gives X another reason to keep users inside its ecosystem while also helping Musk diversify revenue beyond advertising.

A broader rollout is expected in the coming months, subject to further testing and regulatory clearances.

Musk's 'everything app' vision

Since buying Twitter in 2022, Musk has repeatedly spoken about his desire to build an "everything app" modelled on China's WeChat — a platform that combines messaging, payments, shopping, ride-hailing and other digital services in one place.

Payments are central to that plan.

If X Money gains traction, users could eventually tip creators, split bills, pay for subscriptions or buy digital content without switching apps. That would bring Musk closer to his goal of making X a one-stop digital hub rather than just another social network.

Can X challenge established payment apps?

X may have scale on its side, but breaking into the digital payments market will not be easy.

It will be up against entrenched players such as PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle and Apple Pay, all of which already enjoy strong consumer trust and widespread adoption in the US.

Still, X's biggest advantage could be its ability to weave payments directly into social interactions. A user discussing a product, following a creator or chatting with a friend could potentially complete a transaction without leaving the app — a convenience that could help X stand out in a crowded market.

The Visa partnership also lends credibility to the effort, though trust, security and regulatory compliance will be critical if X wants users to treat it as more than just a social platform with a payments tab.

The launch of X Money is more than a routine product update. It is a clear indication that Musk is serious about reshaping X into a platform that blends social networking, entertainment and financial services under one roof.

Whether users will embrace X as a payments app remains to be seen. But the rollout shows that Musk's "everything app" ambition is no longer just rhetoric — it is beginning to take form.