TLDR
- X hired former Base and Aave executive Benji Taylor as Head of Design.
- Taylor founded Los Feliz Engineering, and Aave acquired its Family wallet business in 2023.
- After Aave, Taylor led design for Coinbase’s Base Layer 2 network.
- X Money is in internal beta and is targeting a public launch in April 2026.
Elon Musk has tapped Benji Taylor to lead design at X. The hire links X’s product roadmap with Taylor’s work in crypto wallets, DeFi, and blockchain apps. It also comes as X prepares X Money for a broader rollout in 2026. Taylor’s background fits X’s latest push into payments and crypto-related features.
Taylor brings crypto product experience to X
Taylor confirmed the move in a post on X. He wrote, “I’m honoured to be joining X to lead design.” He added that X is an important platform and a place to help shape the future. The statement linked his appointment to X’s long-term product plans.
Before joining X, Taylor founded Los Feliz Engineering. The startup built Family, a self-custody wallet for crypto users. Aave acquired the company in 2023, and Taylor later became chief product officer. Family focused on giving users direct control over their digital assets.
After Aave, Taylor moved to Coinbase’s Base network. There, he led design for the Layer 2 project. That track record gave him experience across wallets, DeFi, and blockchain user interfaces. His recent roles placed him in teams building crypto products for mainstream users.
X Money rollout adds context to the hire
The appointment comes as X builds X Money inside the platform. Musk said the service is in internal beta testing. He also said a limited external rollout is being prepared. That timing has drawn attention to X’s wider financial services push.
Musk has targeted a public launch for April 2026. X Money is being described as a hub for financial activity. The product may include peer-to-peer fiat payments and high-yield savings. The service is aimed at handling routine payments inside the social platform.
At the same time, X is planning crypto links through smart cashtags. The feature is expected to support stock and crypto actions from the timeline. That focus fits Taylor’s product work in consumer crypto tools. X has said the feature will connect users with market activity from posts.
Bier backs Taylor as X expands finance tools
Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, welcomed Taylor’s arrival. Bier said he invested in Taylor’s app six years ago. He called it “one of the most well-designed products” he had seen. His remarks showed that Taylor’s product design had already drawn attention in Silicon Valley.
Later, Bier said X spent six months trying to bring Taylor aboard. He wrote that the company is now building “the greatest design team in the industry.” His comments offered more detail on how the hire came together. The public exchange also suggested that Taylor was a priority hire for X.
Last month, Bier said he wanted crypto to proliferate on X. He later said X would not execute trades or act as a brokerage. Instead, the company plans financial data tools and links inside the app. That approach keeps X focused on product design, data access, and user experience.
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