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Key Takeaways
Elon Musk's X now lets US users follow Bitcoin Cashtags to Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini and other outside trading platforms.
The feature has prompted criticism over it being a glorified referral link.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has maintained that Bitcoin reaching $400,000 by 2030 is a "reasonable target."
Elon Musk's X has made it easier for US users to go from reading about Bitcoin to opening a trading platform — but the new feature has also drawn criticism for stopping short of letting people buy crypto directly on the app.
The platform's new Cashtag Partner Program adds a "Trade" option to supported pages, including Bitcoin's $BTC ticker.
Users can view price data, a chart and posts related to an asset before choosing a participating broker or exchange.
The initial partners are Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, Interactive Brokers and Moomoo.
That puts a direct route to Coinbase beside the Bitcoin conversation on X — while Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is publicly backs a $400,000 BTC price by 2030.
The rollout is limited to US users and covers stocks, ETFs and crypto.
Coinbase, Kraken and Gemini give users access to crypto markets, while Interactive Brokers and Moomoo offer wider brokerage services.
However, Musk's X is not executing the transactions or holding customer assets itself.
Instead, selecting the Trade button sends a user to the chosen partner's app or website, where they must complete the trade under that company's normal account and verification rules.
"X is the best source of financial news for traders and investors, and we've made it easier than ever to connect financial conversations with the ability to trade," X said in its announcement.
The change effectively moves the point of discovery closer to the point of purchase.
Bitcoin, meme coins and stocks can all go viral on X within minutes, and the platform is now placing trading links directly alongside those discussions.
Elon Musk's X has made it easier for US users to go from reading about Bitcoin to opening a trading platform — but the new feature has also drawn criticism for stopping short of letting people buy crypto directly on the app.
The platform's new Cashtag Partner Program adds a "Trade" option to supported pages, including Bitcoin's $BTC ticker.
Users can view price data, a chart and posts related to an asset before choosing a participating broker or exchange.
The initial partners are Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, Interactive Brokers and Moomoo.
That puts a direct route to Coinbase beside the Bitcoin conversation on X — while Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is publicly backs a $400,000 BTC price by 2030.
The rollout is limited to US users and covers stocks, ETFs and crypto.
Coinbase, Kraken and Gemini give users access to crypto markets, while Interactive Brokers and Moomoo offer wider brokerage services.
However, Musk's X is not executing the transactions or holding customer assets itself.
Instead, selecting the Trade button sends a user to the chosen partner's app or website, where they must complete the trade under that company's normal account and verification rules.
"X is the best source of financial news for traders and investors, and we've made it easier than ever to connect financial conversations with the ability to trade," X said in its announcement.
The change effectively moves the point of discovery closer to the point of purchase.
Bitcoin, meme coins and stocks can all go viral on X within minutes, and the platform is now placing trading links directly alongside those discussions.
Not everyone sees the Cashtag expansion as a major step toward Musk's long-discussed "everything app."
Critics have noted that users still leave X to make the trade.
One user, Packrip Ewing, dismissed the feature as a "glorified banner ad," arguing that it works more like a referral funnel than native trading.
"not being a hater, it's just not that cool," he added.
The company has also not said when the feature will expand beyond the US, leaving criticism on the table from disappointed global users.
One of the companies benefiting from Musk's new Bitcoin traffic is Coinbase, whose chief executive has kept an extraordinary long-term forecast in place.
During a Sept. 10 appearance on CNBC's Squawk Box Asia, Armstrong was asked whether he still believed Bitcoin could reach $400,000 by 2030.
"The short answer is yes. I do think that that's a reasonable target by 2030."
Bitcoin was trading below $80,000 at the time.
It was changing hands at roughly $84,600 early Friday, following a recent move above $87,000.
Armstrong argued that Bitcoin's historic four-year cycles could support a recovery. He said the asset typically experiences a sharp rally, a period of euphoria and then a longer downturn.
"I personally believe that the bottom is in," he added.
He also pointed to the next Bitcoin halving, expected around 2028, saying the market has historically gained momentum ahead of prior events.
Armstrong's interview came shortly before the Senate's anticipated vote on the CLARITY Act.
The Coinbase CEO had said the legislation could help unlock fresh institutional participation in crypto.
Instead, the Senate voted 49-50 on Sept. 15 against invoking cloture on the motion to proceed, leaving the bill stalled.
However, Armstrong argued that a failed vote would not necessarily leave the industry without new rules.
"We're going to get regulatory clarity one way or another."
He said the SEC and CFTC could pursue rulemaking and other measures using their existing authority.
