Elon Musk, owner of the social media platform X, confirmed February 11, 2026, that the long-awaited payments system known as X Money is advancing toward a broader launch, with an external beta expected within the next one to two months. Speaking during an internal xAI "All Hands" presentation, Musk said the feature is already live in a closed beta among X employees and will soon expand to a limited group of external users before going worldwide.
"For X Money, we've actually had X Money live in closed beta within the company," Musk stated, according to multiple reports from outlets including Crypto Briefing, Yahoo Finance and CoinDesk. "We expect in the next month or two to go to a limited external beta and then to go worldwide to all X users."
The announcement marks a key milestone in Musk's vision to transform X—formerly Twitter—into an "everything app" that combines social networking, messaging, payments and financial services, similar to China's WeChat. X Money aims to enable peer-to-peer transfers, digital wallets and potentially broader monetary transactions directly within the platform.
Progress on Licensing and Partnerships X has secured money transmitter licenses in more than 40 U.S. states through X Payments LLC, a step Musk highlighted as foundational for the rollout. The company also established partnerships with major payment processors, including Visa, announced in prior years to support seamless transactions and global reach.
No official timeline beyond the one-to-two-month external beta window has been provided, but the phased approach—internal testing, limited external beta, then full global availability—suggests a cautious expansion to ensure security, compliance and user experience. Musk described X Money as "the central source of all monetary transactions" and called it "really going to be a game-changer" for the platform.
Tied to Broader Financial Features The payments rollout coincides with other financial integrations. X's head of product, Nikita Bier, announced February 14, 2026, that "Smart Cashtags" will launch in the coming weeks, allowing users to trade stocks and cryptocurrencies directly from their timelines without leaving the app. Bier clarified that X will not act as a broker but will facilitate interactions with ticker symbols in posts, linking to execution partners.
This trading capability ties into X Money as a foundational wallet and payment layer. Musk's comments position the combined features as central to X's evolution: "This is really intended to be the place where all the money is."
Speculation about cryptocurrency integration—particularly Dogecoin, long favored by Musk—continues among investors and users, though neither Musk nor X has confirmed crypto as a native payment option. Reports note that while crypto trading via Smart Cashtags is imminent, X Money's initial focus appears on fiat peer-to-peer transfers and wallet services.
Context and Challenges Musk first outlined ambitions for payments on X shortly after acquiring the platform in 2022, envisioning a super-app for communication, commerce and finance. Progress has been gradual, with regulatory hurdles, licensing delays and internal priorities slowing the timeline.
The February 2026 update revives momentum amid X's push into AI (via xAI) and content monetization. With over 600 million claimed users, a successful X Money launch could disrupt traditional payment apps like Venmo, PayPal and Cash App by embedding transactions in social feeds.
Market Reaction and Implications The confirmation fueled speculation in crypto markets, with some analysts viewing it as bullish for digital assets if integration expands. However, experts caution that regulatory scrutiny—particularly around money transmission, anti-money laundering and consumer protection—will shape the final product.
As of February 16, 2026, X has not released a public beta sign-up or detailed feature list. The limited external beta will likely prioritize select users for testing stability and feedback before wider access.
Musk's vision for X Money extends beyond simple transfers: it aims to centralize financial activity, potentially including creator payouts, tipping, subscriptions and e-commerce. Success could redefine social media's role in daily finance, though competition from established players and regulatory risks remain significant.
For now, the coming months represent a critical phase. If the external beta launches as anticipated in March or April 2026, X Money could begin reshaping how hundreds of millions handle money on their phones—fulfilling Musk's long-stated goal of building the world's most comprehensive digital platform.
Originally published on ibtimes.com.au
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