The world of social media has been disrupted once again — and it’s courtesy of none other than Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter). With the latest attempt to change what it means to have an online identity and how people monetize that identity, X has formally unveiled a marketplace for inactive handles. It allows users to buy, claim, or trade users who may have gone inactive for a long period of time.
It's like a digital version of a rare domain name — and everyone is waiting to see all of the developments.
The X Handle Marketplace is our industry-first solution to redistribute handles that are no longer in use.
— Handle Marketplace (@XHandles) October 19, 2025
Eligible Premium subscribers will be able to search and make requests, with both complimentary and paid options available.
🔍 What is this marketplace all about?
For years, people have complained that some of the best usernames — @Ali, @Tech, @Dream — were bought by inactive accounts, or accounts forgotten about a long time ago. X is saying with the new Inactive Handle Marketplace that is about to change.
Verified and premium users will be able to buy or claim dormant handles through an official process, rather than some under-the-table deal.
Here is how it works:
- Regular handles can be claimed for free for eligible premium users.
- Rare handles (an example being shorter, catchier, with a brandable quality) will be sold as either auctions or fixed prices, starting from approximately $2,500 — some may even be in the six or seven-figure range based on demand.
- Only Premium Plus and Business users will only have access to the marketplace.
Essentially, X is treating usernames like digital land.
💡 The Reason for X
Let’s be straightforward — it’s about money, identity, and control.
Elon Musk’s X has been looking for new ways to monetize outside of ad-supported models, and what’s more natural than to monetize something individuals already want — cool usernames?
Here are X's top priorities:
- Monetization: A new revenue stream through premium handling sales.
- Clean up: Deleting inactive usernames clogging the system.
- Branding leverage: Helping brands and creators claim cleaner, shorter, and more recognizable handles.
- Exclusivity: Driving more subscription purchases for premium handles.
It makes sense! Whether you like it or hate it, Musk knows one thing — names are valuable because they are valuable in digital space.
⚖️ The Good, The Bad & The Complicated
✅ The Good:
- Users can finally get legitimate handle access they have always wanted.
- It removes the need for illegal trading of usernames.
- Small businesses can rebrand professional names on X.
⚠️ The Concerns:
- Regular users will likely be excluded for subscription access.
- Pricing of handles will go through the roof for rare usernames.
- In order to procure a handle, users are required to spend up to premium subscription to maintain the handle.
Some users consider this just new innovation. Others consider this just "selling what used to be free."
🌍 User Impact in Bangladesh & South Asia
For creators, brands, and entrepreneurs in Bangladesh, this could be a big win. Just think of a startup in Dhaka paying for a clean handle like @RideBD or @TechDhaka -- instant credibility
However, the charged handle may only serve to limit smaller users that can’t pay for X Premium or Premium Plus.But if digital identity and branding matter to you and your business, it could be worth it.
🧠 Before You Move Ahead
- If you are considering a handle, some recommendations to thinking through:
- Check your subscription tier. Only users of Premium Plus/Business can receive a handle.
- Find out what your handle is worth. Shorter and catchy handles are always worth the most.
- Be prepared to commit! If you downgrade, you lose that handle.
- Don't wait! Early adopters will get first choice.
The new marketplace for inactive handles is a new media reality for X.It will turn a handle into both a status and digital asset.Regardless of this may be just a cash grab or clever innovation, X is certainly changing the rules about ownership on the internet.
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