X unveils new marketplace enabling Premium users to acquire dormant usernames

📅 Published: 10/20/2025
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 4:31:19 PM
📊 15 updates
⏱️ 10 min read
📱 This article updates automatically every 10 minutes with breaking developments

X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has officially launched a new marketplace that allows Premium subscribers to acquire dormant or inactive usernames. This innovative feature, called the X Handle Marketplace, is designed to redistribute inactive handles and provide paying users with a direct way to claim highly sought-after usernames that have long been unavailable due to inactivity[1][2].

The marketplace is exclusively accessible to Premium+ and Pr...

The marketplace is exclusively accessible to Premium+ and Premium Business subscribers, reflecting X's effort to enhance its premium offerings and generate new revenue streams. Users with these subscriptions can search for, request, and acquire inactive usernames divided into two main categories: Priority Handles and Rare Handles[1][2][6].

**Priority Handles** include usernames that typically consis...

**Priority Handles** include usernames that typically consist of full names, multi-word phrases, or alphanumeric combinations, such as @GabrielJones or @ParadoxAI. These handles can be requested for free by eligible subscribers. Requests are reviewed within three business days, and if approved, the user can claim the handle without losing their current followers or post history. Notably, if a user cancels or downgrades their subscription, their previous handle will be returned after a 30-day grace period[1][2][6].

**Rare Handles** are short, generic, or culturally significa...

**Rare Handles** are short, generic, or culturally significant usernames, like @Pizza or @Tom, which are not available through the standard request process. Instead, these handles are offered via public drops or direct purchases by invitation only. Public drops allow multiple users to apply for a handle, with selection based on merit factors such as past contributions to the platform, engagement, and intended use. Direct purchases for rare handles come with hefty price tags, ranging from $2,500 to over seven figures depending on demand and uniqueness[1][2][4][6].

This marketplace initiative represents one of X’s most signi...

This marketplace initiative represents one of X’s most significant moves to monetize its username system. It aims to reward Premium users with exclusive benefits and greater control over their online identity, while also encouraging more users to subscribe to paid tiers. By creating an auction-like environment for coveted usernames, X is pioneering a novel approach in social media account management and digital identity[2][4][6].

Overall, the launch of the X Handle Marketplace marks a stra...

Overall, the launch of the X Handle Marketplace marks a strategic step by Elon Musk’s X to capitalize on dormant digital assets, increase user engagement, and offer its premium community distinctive advantages in securing coveted handles that were previously inaccessible[1][2][5].

🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 2:10:44 PM
Elon Musk’s X has just launched a Handle Marketplace that enables Premium Plus and Premium Business subscribers to request and purchase dormant usernames previously locked on inactive accounts—an industry-first move that could reshape the competitive landscape for digital identities[1][2][4]. While “Priority” handles—such as full names or multi-word phrases—are available to request at no extra cost for qualifying subscribers, “Rare” usernames—short, generic, or culturally significant—are being offered exclusively via invitation-only sales and public drops, with prices ranging from $2,500 to “over seven figures” depending on market demand[1][2][8]. X confirmed that if a user downgrades their paid plan, their acquired handle will
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 2:20:41 PM
X has launched the Handles Marketplace, allowing Premium+ and Premium Business subscribers to acquire dormant usernames categorized as "Priority" and "Rare" handles[2][6]. Experts view this as an "industry-first initiative" that could boost user engagement and generate new revenue streams by monetizing previously inactive handles, with rare usernames potentially fetching prices from $2,500 up to seven figures[4][6]. Industry analyst Terrence O’Brien notes that this auction-like environment marks a significant shift in digital identity management on social platforms, rewarding paid users with exclusive naming rights[6].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 2:30:41 PM
X has globally launched a new marketplace allowing Premium+ and Premium Business users to acquire dormant usernames, with rare handles priced from $2,500 up to seven figures. The platform has already seen hundreds of requests worldwide, with approvals usually completed within three business days, signaling a new global economy for digital identity and sparking mixed international responses—from entrepreneurs welcoming opportunity to concerns over increased commercialization and equity divides on the social network[1][4][5].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 2:40:46 PM
Industry experts view X’s new marketplace for dormant usernames as a pioneering move to address the scarcity of desirable handles, unlocking a new economy for digital identity. The marketplace, accessible only to Premium+ and Premium Business subscribers, offers “priority” handles (full names or multi-word phrases) free to request, while “rare” handles like short or culturally significant names are sold via invitation-only direct purchases ranging from $2,500 to over seven figures[1][8][14]. Analysts suggest this system could significantly reduce secondary market reselling, enhancing security and fairness on the platform, with requests reviewed within three business days to ensure proper allocation based on user engagement and merit[8][14].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 2:50:46 PM
X has officially launched its Handle Marketplace, exclusively enabling Premium+ and Premium Business subscribers to request and acquire dormant usernames, with "priority" handles (e.g., @GabrielJones, @ParadoxAI) available at no extra cost after a three-business-day review, while "rare" handles—such as short, generic, or culturally significant names—are reserved for invite-only sales or public drops, with prices for the most coveted usernames potentially exceeding $1 million[1][2]. A company spokesperson stated, “Rare handles could be priced at anywhere from $2,500 to over seven figures,” underscoring X's strategy to monetize high-value digital real estate and incentivize premium subscriptions in a platform with
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 3:00:56 PM
In the latest development, X's new marketplace for dormant usernames has sparked interest but lacks specific regulatory or government responses. While there are no concrete details on how government agencies will react, the marketplace itself is set to offer inactive usernames to Premium Plus and Premium Business users, with prices ranging from free to over seven figures for rare handles[3][7]. As of now, there are no official statements from regulatory bodies regarding oversight or guidelines for this new marketplace.
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 3:10:58 PM
X has launched the Handle Marketplace, enabling Premium Plus and Premium Business users worldwide to acquire dormant usernames, with prices for rare handles ranging from $2,500 to over seven figures depending on demand and uniqueness[1][4][7]. The international response highlights both opportunity and controversy: entrepreneurs and creators see the marketplace as a way to gain valuable, memorable handles for better visibility, while critics express concern over increased commercialization and equity issues as access depends on paid subscription status and subjective inactivity criteria[6][2]. The global community is watching closely as this move tests trademark policies and platform governance amid calls for stronger verification and consumer protection internationally[2].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 3:21:02 PM
X has launched a new Handle Marketplace enabling Premium Plus and Premium Business users to request and acquire dormant usernames, categorized as Priority and Rare Handles. Priority Handles—common full names or alphanumeric combinations like @GabrielJones—can be requested for free with approval usually within three business days, while Rare Handles, such as short or culturally significant names, are sold via public drops or invitation-only direct purchases, priced from $2,500 up to over seven figures. This technical system reserves the original handle for the requester during transfer, includes a 30-day grace period if subscriptions lapse, and uses selection criteria like user engagement for contested Rare Handles, marking a major step in monetizing X's username ecosystem[1][4][6].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 3:31:16 PM
The launch of X's new Handle Marketplace, allowing Premium users to buy dormant usernames for fees up to seven figures, has not yet triggered any public regulatory or government responses as of October 20, 2025. However, experts highlight potential brand safety and legal tensions ahead, especially regarding trademark conflicts and impersonation risks, where consumer protection authorities like the U.S. Federal Trade Commission could intervene if user confusion or fraud arises[5]. X's approach to verification, labeling, and non-transferability of usernames will likely face scrutiny to ensure compliance with existing online identity and consumer protection regulations[5].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 3:41:03 PM
Elon Musk’s X has dramatically shifted the competitive landscape by launching the X Handle Marketplace, allowing Premium+ and Premium Business subscribers to acquire dormant usernames, a move positioning itself as an "industry-first" in social media username monetization[2][10]. This marketplace splits handles into two tiers: Priority handles, often full names or phrases, free for premium users, and Rare handles—short, highly sought-after names like @Pizza—that can cost from $2,500 up to seven figures or more, turning digital identity into a premium asset[10][4]. By tying ownership of these usernames to active premium subscriptions, X not only creates a new revenue stream but also locks users into ongoing payments, intensifying competition among social platforms to monetize digita
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 3:51:10 PM
No formal regulatory or government responses have been reported following X’s unveiling of its marketplace for Premium users to acquire dormant usernames. Despite concerns about monetizing digital identity and dormant account reallocation—where rare handles can cost from $2,500 to over seven figures—no official statements or interventions from regulatory bodies have emerged as of October 20, 2025[1][4][8]. The initiative mainly draws attention from industry watchers regarding platform monetization strategies rather than regulatory scrutiny at this stage.
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 4:01:13 PM
In a significant move, X's new marketplace for dormant usernames has sparked a global debate on digital identity and commercialization. The platform, which allows Premium Plus and Premium Business users to request inactive handles with prices ranging from free to over seven figures, has received mixed reactions internationally, with some users expressing concern over the financial barrier it creates while others see it as an opportunity for enhanced online presence. As of October 20, 2025, international users have begun to weigh in, with some European tech analysts noting that the move could redefine how social media platforms approach user naming conventions.
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 4:11:12 PM
Breaking News: X's introduction of a marketplace for dormant usernames marks a significant shift in the competitive landscape of social media platforms. By allowing Premium users to purchase rare handles, X aims to attract more paid subscribers and generate fresh revenue, with prices for unique usernames potentially exceeding $50,000[8][10]. This move positions X as a frontrunner in monetizing inactive accounts, potentially altering how digital identity and brand presence are valued online.
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 4:21:05 PM
X has launched a new marketplace allowing Premium Plus and Premium Business users to search for, request, and acquire dormant usernames, categorized into Priority Handles offered free and Rare Handles priced from $2,500 up to seven figures depending on demand and uniqueness[4][6]. The platform employs an auction-like system, monetizing formerly static inactive handles to boost revenue and user engagement, targeting Verified Organizations and high-tier subscribers, with some handles solicited internally at prices up to $50,000[2][8]. To qualify as inactive, accounts must have no login activity for at least 30 days, enabling X to reclaim these usernames while providing Premium users exclusive control over coveted online identities[9].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 4:31:19 PM
**Breaking News Update:** As X unveils its new marketplace for acquiring dormant usernames, some Premium users are expressing excitement about the opportunity to secure coveted handles, while others are voicing concerns about the potential costs and subscription requirements. Rare handles are priced from $2,500 to over seven figures, sparking debate among users about the value of these unique usernames. "This could be a game-changer for digital identity, but the price tags are steep," noted one user, reflecting the mixed reactions from the public[1][4][8].
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