Shatner Auctions Invites to Elon Musk’s X Money Beta

On Monday, tech billionaire Elon Musk teamed up with Star Trek actor William Shatner to distribute exclusive beta invites for X’s new payment service, X Money payments service, launching a charity auction on the social media platform to fund children’s and veterans’ organizations. This premium payment feature, which was previously being tested internally among employees, is now rolling out to select public users in exchange for a $1,000 donation to Shatner’s charity.

The Sci-Fi Partnership and the Charity Auction

The legendary actor has been actively sharing information regarding the platform’s financial capabilities. The exclusive beta spots became available through an online bidding process. Musk amplified the buzz by reshared one of Shatner’s posts, adding the caption “X Money,” while also reposted another user’s commentary with a bold prediction: “This will be big.”

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to X Money

Shatner confirmed that the auction was fully endorsed by Musk, following a test transaction between the two. A shared screenshot revealed that Musk transferred $42 to Shatner—a deliberate nod to Douglas Adams’ classic sci-fi novel *The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy*, where 42 represents the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything.

In total, X distributed 42 exclusive invites to the high-bidding donors. Once activated, winners will be able to see the X Money portal directly in their app sidebar, positioned right below the Premium tab. These early adopters will also receive a custom, co-branded metal Visa debit card featuring their unique social handle.

Inside the X Money Interface and Features

Leaked interface images showcase a streamlined banking UI structured around three core tabs: Account, Rewards, and Activity. The platform includes standard digital banking options such as deposits, transfers, and peer-to-peer payment requests. Furthermore, users can opt for direct deposit setup, unlocking high-yield savings rates of up to 6.00% APY.

Security and Regulatory Milestones

While X Money operates as a financial technology platform rather than a chartered bank, user funds are held and insured up to $250,000 by partner institution Cross River Bank, an FDIC member.

To support this expansion, X has secured money transmitter licenses in over 40 U.S. states. During a company-wide meeting, Musk indicated that after this limited external beta phase, the payment system is scheduled for a rapid global rollout.

Realizing the “Everything App” Vision

The integration of financial transactions is a cornerstone of Musk’s strategy to transform the social platform into an all-in-one super app, combining direct messaging, video, creator monetization, and peer-to-peer payments. Much like the newly tested standalone X Chat client, speculation suggests X Money could eventually launch as an independent mobile application to directly rival established giants like PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App.

A 25-Year Journey in Digital Payments

This launch represents the culmination of a decades-long ambition for Musk. In 1999, he founded the original online financial portal X.com, which later merged to become PayPal. After buying Twitter for $44 billion, renaming the platform to X served as a direct callback to his original fintech vision—one that is now finally materializing.