Who Owns X (Formerly Twitter)?

X, formerly known as Twitter, is currently owned by xAI, an artificial intelligence company founded by Elon Musk. In March 2025, Musk announced a strategic merger between his AI startup and the social platform X in an all-stock transaction that valued the combined entity at $113 billion. This move signaled a major evolution in the platform’s identity — from a microblogging site to a multi-functional, AI-powered super app.

Contents

Brief Overview of X and Its Significance

Founded as Twitter in 2006, the platform became a globally recognized microblogging and social media network. It was known for its real-time updates, viral hashtags, and concise messages — initially limited to 140 characters and later expanded to 280. In its current form as X, the platform offers:

Long-form posts (up to 25,000 characters for Premium+ users)
Live audio chat rooms (X Spaces)
Video and image sharing
Integrated AI assistant (Grok by xAI)
Creator monetization
Premium subscription tiers

The platform is still trusted by journalists, government officials, celebrities, and individuals alike, but it has expanded its scope to include tools for communication, payments, and AI interactions — aligning with Elon Musk’s vision of creating an “everything app.”

How Elon Musk Became the Owner of Twitter

In October 2022, Elon Musk acquired Twitter in a $44 billion deal, taking the company private. The acquisition followed months of negotiations and legal disputes. Musk initially bought a 9.1% stake in the company and later submitted a proposal to buy all shares at $54.20 per share.

After completing the acquisition, Musk immediately restructured the company — firing top executives and introducing controversial policy changes. He also rebranded the company in July 2023, changing its name from Twitter to X and gradually replacing its iconic blue bird branding with a minimalist black-and-white “X.”

The 2025 Merger with xAI

In March 2025, Elon Musk announced the merger of X with xAI, his artificial intelligence startup. The deal was structured as an all-stock transaction that consolidated ownership under xAI while keeping Musk at the helm. The rationale behind this move was to fully integrate AI, real-time social data, and platform distribution into a single tech ecosystem.

This strategic shift allows:

Grok (xAI’s chatbot) to be embedded directly into X
Use of real-time user content to improve AI training
Monetization through both subscriptions and AI services
A unified vision for an AI-powered social and communication platform

Current Ownership of X

Following the merger, xAI is the official owner of X. Elon Musk remains the majority shareholder and executive leader of both entities. While the platform is no longer a publicly traded company, earlier stakeholders in Musk’s 2022 acquisition include:

Elon Musk – Primary owner
xAI – Parent company
Investors (2022 acquisition):
- Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al Saud
- Larry Ellison
- Sequoia Capital
- Andreessen Horowitz
- Binance
- Qatar Investment Authority
- Jack Dorsey (former Twitter CEO)

Note: These individuals and institutions invested in Twitter prior to its rebranding and merger. Their current stakes may be part of private agreements within the new xAI corporate structure.

Historical Shareholders (Before 2022 Acquisition)

Before Elon Musk’s acquisition in 2022, Twitter was a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker $TWTR. Major institutional shareholders included:

The Vanguard Group (10.3%)
BlackRock
Morgan Stanley
State Street Corporation

Jack Dorsey, the company’s founder and former CEO, held around 2.4% of shares.

These shareholder details are relevant for historical context but do not apply to the current ownership structure under xAI.

What Does the Future Hold for X?

Under xAI’s ownership, X is evolving from a social media platform into a multi-functional super app. The company is focused on:

Building an ecosystem where users can communicate, create, and transact
Integrating AI tools (like Grok) directly into user experiences
Offering creator monetization, premium subscriptions, and data licensing
Expanding into payments, video streaming, and other verticals

While the platform continues to face competition and scrutiny, its unified structure with xAI positions it uniquely in the tech world — as both a distribution channel and a real-time data engine for AI development.

Conclusion

X is no longer just a social media company — it’s a cornerstone of Elon Musk’s broader ambition to merge communication, commerce, and artificial intelligence. Now owned by xAI, the platform’s evolution will likely redefine how people interact with digital content, social platforms, and AI assistants.

The transition from Twitter to X — and from a standalone app to part of an AI-powered ecosystem — reflects one of the most ambitious pivots in tech history. As always with Musk-led ventures, the world is watching closely.