Musk Reaches Into Rival Social Platforms... Opens TikTok and Instagram Accounts

Industry Eyes Musk's Expansion into Rival Social Platforms
X Moves to Integrate Messaging and Financial Services
Blueprint for a 'Super Platform' Combining AI and Finance

Attention is growing over the background behind Elon Musk's recent move to open official verified accounts on TikTok and Instagram, expanding his activity beyond X (formerly Twitter), which he operates.

On April 13, Yonhap News Agency, citing The New York Times and other outlets, reported that on April 8, a video was posted on the TikTok account 'elonmusk' in which Musk discussed future technologies and introduced SpaceX and Tesla. The video reportedly also included content related to Neuralink and The Boring Company.

Elon Musk Verified Account Posted on TikTok. TIKTOK

Both the TikTok and Instagram accounts created by Musk have been granted official verification badges by the respective platforms. However, it was confirmed that there are no posts yet on the Instagram account. The specific reasons for Musk opening accounts on rival social networking services have not been clearly identified. However, The New York Times suggested that these accounts could be related to the preparations for SpaceX's initial public offering (IPO) and analyzed that it may be a strategy to boost investor interest.

Previously, Musk announced in 2018 that he had deleted his Instagram account, and in 2023, he expressed distrust of TikTok's artificial intelligence, showing a negative stance toward the platform. As a result, it has not yet been confirmed whether these new accounts are personally operated by Musk. Some observers speculate that Musk opening new social media accounts, including on X, may be part of a broader push to expand beyond social media and build an 'everything app.'

On the 17th, Musk is scheduled to launch 'XChat,' a messenger app that separates the direct message (DM) feature. This service allows users to send and receive messages using only their X account without a phone number. Photo by AP Yonhap News

In fact, on April 17, Musk is scheduled to launch the messenger app 'XChat,' which separates the direct message (DM) function. This service allows users to send and receive messages using only their X account without a phone number, and offers features such as end-to-end encryption (E2EE), screen capture blocking, and automatic message deletion. This strategy is seen as similar to the model Meta used when it separated Facebook and Messenger to drive growth.

Going forward, XChat is expected to be integrated with X's artificial intelligence model 'Grok' to expand into an AI-based service with features such as voice conversations and real-time image recognition. Furthermore, if it is linked with 'X Money,' which is expected to be released within this year, there is a possibility that it could develop into a financial platform that enables remittance and payments without the need for an account number. Industry experts believe that Musk is simultaneously pursuing a 'two-track strategy' of expanding into external social networking platforms and strengthening the internal ecosystem, and are closely watching the impact this will have on the global social media market.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.