X partners with Visa for real-time payment service

In 2025, X, formerly known as Twitter, announced a partnership with Visa to develop a payment service aimed at transforming the platform into an 'everything app'. The initiative is part of Elon Musk's long-held vision to integrate various functions, similar to WeChat, within a single application. The CEO of X, Linda Yaccarino, described the collaboration as a significant step towards realizing this vision, highlighting the introduction of the X Money Account service, which is expected to incorporate an in-platform digital wallet and peer-to-peer payment features linked to users' debit cards. The services powered by Visa Direct are intended for users located in the United States. While the exact launch date has not been disclosed, the anticipation surrounding the launch reflects Musk's ongoing ambition to diversify X's functionalities beyond being solely a social media platform. As part of this expansion, questions remain about whether these services will extend internationally or involve additional payment partners in the future. Historically, Musk has expressed interest in creating a super app since the late 1990s when he launched X.com, which evolved into what we now know as PayPal. His aspirations for PayPal were largely unsuccessful during his tenure as he faced pushback from executives, but he later used the proceeds from the sale of the company to fund ventures like SpaceX and Tesla. Today’s digital landscape presents challenges with competing platforms such as Meta beginning to integrate similar features into their offerings. Despite the promise of new services to improve user experience and engagement, X has also faced controversy in recent years. Following Musk’s acquisition of the platform in 2022, the company has reported an increase in instances of hate speech and misinformation, leading to the alienation of some users and advertisers. There are concerns about how the ambitions of X may place it at odds with other tech giants whose market positions could be threatened by the emergence of super apps. The potential implications of this move have drawn attention from regulators, particularly regarding the competitive dynamics in the tech industry.