Elon Musk’s social platform has introduced Bitcoin tipping through BitBit, a crypto wallet that integrates with X via the Lightning Network. The feature, which went live on August 18, allows users to send and receive Bitcoin tips directly in Chrome-compatible browsers without relinquishing control of their funds. Though not an official product of X, BitBit operates as an add-on to the platform’s interface. Recipients of tips have 21 days to claim their funds before they are automatically returned to senders.
BitBit is powered by Lightspark’s Spark infrastructure, designed to streamline Lightning transactions. Lightspark CEO David Marcus said the goal of the integration is to align digital money with the open standards of the internet. The move reinforces Bitcoin’s role as the first cryptocurrency to see direct integration with Musk’s platform, despite the entrepreneur’s frequent public support for Dogecoin. Many users had expected DOGE to lead the charge for tipping functionality.
Alongside the tipping tool, X has launched XChat, a revamped messaging service offering voice and video calls, encrypted conversations, disappearing chats, and file sharing. Musk described the encryption as “Bitcoin-style,” a characterization that sparked pushback from developers who clarified that Bitcoin’s security relies on elliptic curve cryptography and hashing rather than traditional encryption.
XChat is currently restricted to paid subscribers and secured with a four-digit password. Built using the Rust programming language, it represents Musk’s latest effort to expand X into an “everything app” that combines financial tools and social communication within one platform.
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