Musk to sell inactive X usernames through new marketplace

X is preparing to launch the X Handle Marketplace, a new platform where users will be able to buy or claim inactive usernames.

According to The Verge, the feature will first roll out to subscribers of Premium Plus and Premium Business plans. The marketplace will categorize handles into two types.

• The first will include standard usernames—word combinations, names, or alphanumeric handles—that users can claim for free.
• The second will feature rare and short handles like @news or @art, which will be sold for a fee. Prices will reportedly start at $2,500 and could reach millions, depending on a handle’s popularity and exclusivity.

X emphasized that Handle Marketplace will be a permanent feature, not a one-time sale, aiming to attract more paid subscribers. Once a new handle is claimed, the previous one will be locked. The platform also plans to introduce a paid handle redirection feature, allowing users to forward activity from one username to another.

If a user cancels their premium subscription, they’ll lose access to the purchased handle, and their account will revert to its original username.

The project’s official team, @XHandles, called it a “first-of-its-kind platform for redistributing handles that are no longer in active use.” In the coming weeks, Premium members will be able to browse and request handles directly through the X interface, with both free and paid options available.