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X Plans to Launch Streaming and Financial Services in 2025 with X TV and X Money, CEO Reveals

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X (formerly Twitter) is set to expand its services beyond social media, with plans to offer financial and streaming services starting in 2025. This ambitious move, announced by the company’s CEO on Wednesday, is part of X’s broader vision to evolve into an “everything app.” Under the leadership of Elon Musk, the platform aims to compete with multi-functional services like China’s WeChat. In a post on the platform, the CEO emphasized that X intends to connect users in ways that have never been done before, positioning itself as more than just a microblogging site.

The new services, X Money and X TV, will provide users with financial tools and streaming content, marking a significant shift in the platform’s focus. X Money is expected to offer various financial services, potentially including digital wallets, payments, and other financial products. X TV, on the other hand, will bring streaming capabilities to the platform, further diversifying its offerings. These additions will enhance the platform’s functionality, allowing users to interact socially, manage finances, and enjoy entertainment all within the same ecosystem.

Alongside these new services, X is also planning to enhance its artificial intelligence capabilities. In 2025, the platform will introduce improvements to Grok, its AI chatbot, which has already become an integral part of the user experience. The goal is to offer more personalized and interactive features, allowing users to engage with the platform in new and innovative ways.

This direction aligns with the broader vision for X that CEO Linda Yaccarino laid out during the platform’s rebranding from Twitter to X in 2023. The rebrand marked a major shift for the company, including the removal of the traditional verification system, the introduction of X Premium, and the replacement of Twitter’s iconic bird logo with the X symbol. As the company moves into 2025, it is clear that X aims to reshape the landscape of social media, financial services, and entertainment, hoping to become a central hub for a wide range of user activities.

X Premium+ Subscription Price Raised Sharply in India, US, and Other Regions

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X (formerly Twitter) has announced a significant price hike for its top-tier subscription service, X Premium+, affecting several global markets, including India and the United States. The price increase is substantial, with the US seeing a nearly 40 percent rise in the cost of the service. The platform justifies the hike by emphasizing the addition of new features, such as a completely ad-free experience, and improved functionalities designed to enhance the user experience. This change marks a major shift for X as it seeks to strengthen its premium offering in a competitive social media landscape.

In a detailed blog post, X outlined the revised pricing for its Premium+ subscription, which will take effect immediately for new subscribers. Current users will continue to be billed at the old rate if their billing cycle begins before January 21, 2025. After that date, however, the new prices will apply to all existing subscribers in their next billing cycle. The platform has clarified that the exact increase in price may vary depending on factors such as location, applicable taxes, and the payment method used.

In the United States, the price revision is particularly noticeable. Previously, X Premium+ was priced at $16 (roughly Rs. 1,360) per month for web sign-ups, with the annual subscription available for $168 (approximately Rs. 14,000). Under the new pricing structure, the monthly cost will rise to $22 (roughly Rs. 1,900), while the annual plan will be priced at $229 (around Rs. 19,000). This sharp increase has left many subscribers questioning the value of the new features, especially as social media platforms are continuously evolving.

As X implements these changes, users in different regions are likely to feel the impact in varying degrees, with some markets seeing more substantial price hikes than others. While the ad-free experience and additional features may justify the cost for some, others may look for alternatives as prices rise. The move to increase subscription costs reflects X’s ongoing strategy to grow its revenue and solidify its position as a premium service in the social media space. However, whether this will lead to increased subscriber growth or a backlash remains to be seen.

X Reportedly Testing Free Grok AI Version With Updated Logo

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X (formerly known as Twitter) is reportedly experimenting with a free version of its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok. Over the weekend, several users claimed to have gained access to Grok without subscribing to the platform’s paid X Premium tier. However, as per user feedback, the free version has certain limitations, and its availability appears to be restricted to specific regions. This trial comes shortly after xAI, the Elon Musk-led AI initiative, launched the Grok API and announced incentives for developers to integrate it.

Reports suggest that this move marks an effort to expand Grok’s reach and potentially attract a wider audience. Initially launched in November 2023, Grok was previously available only to paid subscribers. According to posts by app researchers and tech enthusiasts on X, the free tier could allow a broader range of users to experience the chatbot’s capabilities, albeit with reduced functionality compared to the premium version.

A report by TechCrunch indicated that the free Grok trial is currently being tested in New Zealand, with the possibility of extending to other regions. However, availability remains uneven; for instance, users in India and other countries have noted the absence of the feature. At this stage, the specifics of what the free version offers, and how it differs from the premium experience, remain unclear. Additionally, Gadgets 360 could not independently confirm the free version’s rollout.

In addition to testing a free tier, X is also updating Grok’s branding. The chatbot’s original wordmark logo is reportedly being replaced with a socket-like emblem, signaling a fresh visual identity for the AI tool. Whether these changes are part of a larger strategy to boost Grok’s adoption or improve its appeal to developers and end users remains to be seen.