Elon Musk’s X platform has introduced the X Handle Marketplace, allowing Premium Plus and Premium Business subscribers to acquire inactive usernames.
Through the new X Handle Marketplace, eligible subscribers can acquire inactive handles, with options ranging from free to paid.
“The X Handle Marketplace is our industry-first solution to redistribute handles that are no longer in use.
Eligible Premium subscribers will be able to search and make requests, with both complimentary and paid options available,” X stated in its announcement post
The move is aimed at redistributing high-demand handles and monetizing short significant names.
Priority Handles: These are typically full names, multi-word phrases, or alphanumeric combinations. Premium subscribers can request these handles free of charge. Once approved, the handle is transferred to the user’s account.
However, if a user cancels or downgrades their subscription, the handle reverts to its original state after a 30-day grace period.
Rare Handles: These are short, generic, or culturally significant names, such as @Tom or @Pizza. They can be acquired through:
Once purchased, Rare handles remain with the user even if their Premium subscription ends.
The marketplace is designed as an ongoing service to attract and retain paid subscribers. If a user secures a new handle, their old one is frozen.
However, if the user downgrades their subscription, they lose access to the new handle, which reverts to its original state after a 30-day grace period.