X Money Service Launched in 41 States as Elizabeth Warren Warns Elon Musk's Banking Ambitions Pose a Risk

cryptonews.ruPublished on 2026-07-28Last updated on 2026-07-28

Abstract

Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) has broadly launched its financial service, X Money, across the United States. Previously in limited beta, it is now available nationwide to all Premium and Premium+ subscribers, moving out of invite-only mode. The service integrates a deposit account, peer-to-peer payments, and a debit card (virtual and optional physical) directly within the X app. Key features include 6% APY for Premium+ users (with conditions for Premium), 3% cashback on card purchases, fee-free international transfers and peer-to-peer payments, and a $15 welcome bonus. Deposits are held through partner Cross River Bank, extending FDIC insurance coverage up to $10 million per account. X has obtained money transmitter licenses in 41 states and Washington D.C., but approvals are still pending for New York and Massachusetts. The expansion faces regulatory scrutiny, notably from Senator Elizabeth Warren. She warned that Musk's management of X poses risks to consumers and financial stability if applied to X Money and criticized a perceived loophole in the 2025 GENIUS Act that could let companies like X issue stablecoins with fewer restrictions. Currently, X Money operates solely with fiat currency, with no confirmed crypto integration. However, analysts like Grayscale's Zach Pandl suggest a deeper move into cryptocurrencies is an inevitable next step for the platform's financial ambitions.

X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, first opened access to X Money to a small group of "Premium+" tier subscribers at the end of June for internal testing — Bitcoin.com News reported on this beta test immediately after its launch. This trial run was clearly organized to gather feedback ahead of yesterday's wider rollout.

The expansion lives up to those expectations: X Money is now available to users on both the standard Premium and Premium+ tiers nationwide, and for the first time, the product is moving out of "invite-only" mode.

The service combines a deposit account, peer-to-peer payments, and a debit card directly within the X app, part of a strategy Musk has been implementing since acquiring the platform so users never have to leave it. X first announced this plan in January 2025, with Visa becoming its first payments partner. X's then-CEO Linda Yaccarino called it "another milestone for the Everything app," and Visa stated its Visa Direct network would allow account holders to "fund accounts and send money in real-time using a debit card." It's the Visa Direct infrastructure built through that partnership that now powers the debit card transfers becoming available to Premium tier users this week.

What Premium Tier Users Get

Premium+ subscribers immediately get a 6% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on their balance, while standard Premium users can earn the same rate after meeting direct deposit requirements. Each account comes with a virtual X Card that can be added to Apple Wallet, and the option to order a customizable physical metal card with the user's handle. Card purchases earn 3% cash back, there are no international transaction fees on transfers, and new users receive a $15 welcome bonus.

X Money also promises unlimited free transfers between users of the platform. "Your money on the world's most powerful network," wrote the official X Money account in connection with the launch, directly linking the product to X's built-in social features.

Where the Money Is Held and Who Oversees It

Deposits are held with Cross River Bank — a regulated partner that implements a cash placement program across multiple institutions to extend FDIC coverage up to $10 million per account, roughly 40 times the standard $250,000 limit. So far, X has obtained money transmitter licenses in 41 states and Washington D.C., although New York and Massachusetts have not yet granted approval.

Nevertheless, this expansion has not eased regulatory scrutiny, given that Senator Elizabeth Warren has criticized X for its banking ambitions, warning:

"If your track record managing X is any indicator of how you will manage X Money, then consumers, our national security, and the stability of the financial system could be at risk."

In her letter, she also pointed to a "suspicious carve-out" in the GENIUS Act — the 2025 federal stablecoin law — which she said allows companies like X to issue stablecoins without the same licenses required of traditional issuers, and expressed concern over previous FDIC enforcement actions against Cross River Bank.

What's Next

For now, X Money remains a fiat-based product, and stablecoin or token integration is unconfirmed. However, Grayscale's Head of Research, Zach Pandl, stated that the current version is more of a starting point than an end goal, adding:

While X Money will launch with traditional fiat-based, bank system infrastructure, a move toward deeper integration with crypto seems, in our view, inevitable. Cryptocurrencies will play a central role in that evolution.

With both Premium and Premium+ tier users now onboarded nationwide, the next key things to watch are whether X Money can reach all U.S. markets (as New York and Massachusetts issues remain unresolved) and whether Musk's banking channels can eventually connect to the crypto assets the company hinted at integrating from the product's initial presentation.

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Related Questions

QWhat is X Money and which user tiers now have access to it in the US?

AX Money is a financial service integrating deposit accounts, peer-to-peer payments, and a debit card directly within the X app. Following a recent wider launch, it is now available to users on both the standard Premium and Premium+ subscription tiers across the US, moving out of an 'invite-only' phase.

QWhich financial partner provides the infrastructure for X Money's debit card transfers, and what is its significance?

AVisa is the financial partner, and its Visa Direct network infrastructure enables the instant transfers and card-based transactions for X Money accounts. This partnership was first announced in January 2025 as part of X's plan to become an 'everything app'.

QWhat are the main features and benefits offered to X Premium and Premium+ subscribers using X Money?

ABenefits include a 6% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on balances (immediate for Premium+, conditional for Premium users), a virtual and optionally physical custom metal debit card (X Card), 3% cashback on purchases, no fees for international transactions, a $15 welcome bonus, and unlimited free peer-to-peer transfers on the platform.

QWhich bank holds customer deposits for X Money, and what regulatory concern has been raised by Senator Elizabeth Warren?

ACustomer deposits are held by Cross River Bank, a regulated partner. Senator Elizabeth Warren has criticized X's banking ambitions, warning that if X manages X Money as it has managed the social platform, it could pose risks to consumers, national security, and financial stability. She also pointed to an 'unusual carve-out' in the 2025 GENIUS Act that might allow companies like X to issue stablecoins without the same licenses required of traditional issuers.

QWhat future developments are anticipated for X Money, according to analysts and the article?

AAnalysts, like Grayscale's Zach Pandl, view the current fiat-based X Money as a starting point. They believe deeper integration with cryptocurrencies is 'almost inevitable' and will play a central role in its evolution. Key future milestones include resolving licensing issues in New York and Massachusetts for nationwide US access, and potentially connecting the service with crypto assets as hinted since the product's initial presentation.

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