X launches Handle Marketplace: “Rare” usernames may cost up to seven figures
X has outlined its long-rumored Handle Marketplace and opened a waitlist to redistribute inactive usernames. The program introduces two tracks—priority and rare—with different paths to claim or purchase coveted handles.
- Priority handles: Examples include full names or phrases like @GabrielJones and @PizzaEater. These are tied to Premium+ and Premium Business plans and can be revoked if the subscription lapses.
- Rare handles: Short, generic, or culturally significant names (e.g., @one, @fly, @compute). X says some will be awarded via merit-based public drops, while others will be sold through invite-only, fixed-price listings.
- Pricing: X indicates rare handles may range from roughly $2,500 to seven figures, based on demand, character length, popularity, and cultural significance.
- Requirements: Premium+ or Premium Business is required to initiate a rare handle transfer, but ongoing subscription isn’t required to keep a purchased rare handle. Priority handles may be revoked if the subscription lapses.
X frames the marketplace as an industry-first approach to standardize handle transfers and curb gray-market trading. Supporters say it could put dormant names back into circulation. Critics flag risks around fairness and repossession, especially as X reserves the right to reclaim inactive handles.
Context: X’s current inactive account policy has historically defined inactivity as 30+ days without login. Observers also note prior high-profile reassignments of desirable handles (e.g., @X, @music, @America), raising questions about protections if money changes hands.
How to follow and apply: Watch official updates from @XHandles for waitlist and drop details. If you’re considering a claim or purchase, review the fine print—revocation rules, inactivity definitions, and any handle transfer agreements.
References:
- X Handle Marketplace updates (@XHandles)
- Inactive account policy (Help Center)
- Background reporting on pricing and process
Why it matters: Formalizing handle transfers could reshape identity on X by turning usernames into tradable digital assets—benefiting active creators and brands, while raising new questions about user rights and platform power.
Discussion: Should platforms sell coveted usernames, or release inactive handles via open lotteries with strict anti-squatting rules?