Cryptocurrency integration next on the horizon, say analysts
In a move signaling Elon Musk’s accelerating drive to turn X into a so-called “everything app,” the social media platform has reached a strategic agreement with payments giant Visa to offer direct payment solutions to its users.
Visa will become the first partner of the forthcoming “X Money” account. The service will allow customers to fund their X wallet using Visa Direct and link their debit cards for peer-to-peer transfers. In addition, users will be able to move funds from X Money to traditional bank accounts in real time.
A Springboard for Broader Financial Services
The Visa partnership comes at a time when X is expanding into a range of financial services, having secured money transmitter licenses in more than 40 U.S. states and registering with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Musk has long signaled his ambition to model X after China’s WeChat (an app that integrates messaging, social media, and payments) going so far as to describe X as a platform that “will connect you in ways never thought possible.”
Linda Yaccarino, X’s Chief Executive, took to the platform last month to hint at this multi-pronged future, mentioning X Money in the same breath as X TV and Grok, an in-development artificial intelligence chatbot. “2025 X will connect you in ways never thought possible,” she wrote, underscoring the company’s vision for seamlessly blending social networking with media consumption and commerce.
Could Crypto Be Next?
While details on cryptocurrency offerings have not been officially confirmed, Musk’s history with digital assets has fueled speculation that crypto payments could be part of X’s roadmap. As early as 2021, Musk (then serving as CEO of Tesla) helped drive up the value of Dogecoin through public endorsements, prompting questions about whether X might enable transactions in the meme-inspired token.
In 2022, amid the early talk of transforming Twitter (now X) into a one-stop-shop for all things digital, Musk teased the idea of integrating crypto wallets directly into user profiles. The company has since explored blockchain-based identity tools and indicated that some form of crypto integration could be on the table.
Jennifer Blake, fintech analyst at Horizon Securities.
“Visa’s global network and X’s broad user base present a compelling platform for adopting cryptocurrencies at scale,”
“If Musk chooses to integrate a token like Dogecoin or Bitcoin for peer-to-peer transfers, X would immediately become a contender in mainstream digital asset adoption.”
Race for the Digital Wallet
Visa’s rivalry with Mastercard in the digital payments space, along with competition from the likes of PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, reflects the broader industry trend of integrating finance with tech platforms. Analysts view the X-Visa deal as a critical step for Visa in fending off fintech challengers, and for X in fortifying a feature set that aims to make the app indispensable.
Concerns Over Control
The rapid expansion of X’s financial services has also drawn questions about the risks of concentrating so much functionality (social media, messaging, payments) in a single platform. Some observers worry that if X can sanction users by removing verification or suspending accounts, it could also restrict access to funds.
“This partnership has the potential to bring enormous convenience to users,” said Rachel Turner, policy director at the Digital Rights Forum. “But it’s crucial that there be regulatory safeguards. We need to ensure that consumers aren’t exposed to undue risk in a platform-driven financial ecosystem.”
Looking Ahead
Although neither X nor Visa commented on the potential for cryptocurrencies to be officially integrated, Musk’s past statements and the platform’s ongoing product trials indicate that digital assets may soon become a natural extension of X’s financial services.
For now, the Visa tie-up marks a significant leap toward making X a multipurpose digital giant. Whether X will achieve Musk’s lofty vision of an “everything app” remains to be seen, but with partnerships like these, it is undoubtedly positioning itself at the forefront of financial innovation in 2025.