X Launches Handle Marketplace, Puts $2.500 & Above Price Tags on Rare Usernames to Drive Premium Subscriptions

Elon Musk’s social platform, X, is rolling out a new Handle Marketplace that allows Premium Plus and Premium Business users to browse and request inactive usernames — a move that effectively turns dormant handles into digital assets for sale.

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.

— Handle Marketplace (@XHandles) October 19, 2025

The company is framing the initiative as part of its broader effort to create new revenue streams and attract more paying subscribers.

According to the company’s latest announcement, handles will be divided into two main categories. Priority handles, which include typical full names, multi-word phrases, or alphanumeric combinations, will be available for free to eligible users.
Rare handles, however, will come with a price tag ranging from $2,500 to over seven figures, depending on the handle’s demand and uniqueness.

The launch represents one of X’s most ambitious attempts yet to monetize digital identity on the platform, transforming usernames—once free and available on a first-come, first-served basis—into premium digital real estate.

How the Marketplace Works

X describes the Handle Marketplace not as a one-time perk, but as an ongoing subscription-based service integrated into its Premium tiers. Only Premium Plus and Premium Business subscribers will have access, allowing them to search a catalog of dormant or inactive accounts and request ownership of their usernames.

Once a user secures a new handle through the marketplace, their previous username will be frozen, making it unavailable to others. The company also noted that it may introduce a redirect option—which would forward traffic from a user’s old handle to the new one—as an additional paid add-on in the future.

However, the ability to retain these rare handles will depend on a user’s subscription status. X stated that if a user downgrades or cancels their Premium plan, their account will automatically revert to its original username, and access to the marketplace-acquired handle will be revoked. This condition effectively locks premium usernames behind a continuous paywall.

The decision to monetize usernames follows months of speculation about X’s plans to auction off dormant handles. Musk first hinted in late 2023 that the company would explore reclaiming and reselling inactive usernames as part of efforts to “clean up” legacy accounts.

The marketplace formalizes that concept, aligning with X’s ongoing push to diversify income sources beyond advertising, which has declined sharply since Musk’s takeover. The company aims to attract more high-value subscribers, especially businesses, influencers, and collectors looking to secure distinctive brand identities by introducing an exclusive username economy.

Digital branding experts say this approach could turn social media handles into a form of digital real estate—similar to domain names in the early 2000s—where scarcity and prestige drive value.

A Strategy to Drive Paid Subscriptions

The Handle Marketplace fits neatly into X’s strategy to grow its subscription ecosystem. Since Musk rebranded Twitter to X, the company has leaned heavily on paid plans—Premium, Premium Plus, and Business tiers—as it seeks financial stability amid ongoing advertiser pullback.

Premium Plus users currently pay $16 per month, while Premium Business subscribers are billed $42 per month. These plans offer enhanced features such as reduced ads, higher ranking in replies, and increased revenue-sharing opportunities. The addition of a handle marketplace adds a tangible, status-driven incentive for users to remain subscribed at higher tiers.

Some believe the service could generate substantial non-advertising revenue if priced effectively, particularly among businesses seeking short, recognizable, or brand-aligned handles.

Potential Implications

While the initiative may appeal to businesses and elite users, it also raises questions about fairness and access. Critics argue that placing rare handles behind a paywall could erode X’s long-standing culture of open participation, effectively pricing out regular users from desirable usernames.

There are also concerns about transparency and disputes over ownership, particularly if inactive accounts are reclaimed and resold without clear notification to former holders. In similar past efforts, social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok have faced backlash for reclaiming inactive usernames for brand use or resale.

Additionally, the pricing structure—starting at $2,500 and reportedly reaching seven figures—suggests that X is betting heavily on exclusivity and prestige, mirroring auction-style domain markets rather than traditional social media systems.

A New Phase in X’s Monetization Drive

The Handle Marketplace launch continues X’s broader experimentation with paid digital identity features, following earlier initiatives such as verification badges and ad-revenue sharing for Premium users.

It also reflects Musk’s broader ambition to reposition X as an “everything app,” blending social media with payments, commerce, and professional networking.
X appears to be creating a new digital economy within its ecosystem—one where identity itself becomes a subscription-driven commodity.

For X’s business model, the question now is whether this marketplace becomes a sustainable revenue engine or just another feature that benefits a small fraction of elite users.

Either way, it marks another bold step in Musk’s push to rebuild X’s financial foundation around direct user monetization rather than advertising—a transformation that continues to reshape the platform’s identity, economy, and culture.