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XRolls Out Handle Marketplace for Inactive Usernames Priced Up to Seven Figures

The two-tier program restricts access to paying users, drawing scrutiny over opaque rules for deciding when an account is inactive.

Overview

  • X opened a waitlist and detailed a marketplace limited to Premium Plus and Premium Business subscribers to reassign dormant handles.
  • 'Priority' handles are free to request for eligible subscribers, typically reviewed within about three business days, with a 30‑day grace period that reverts users to their old handle if they downgrade.
  • 'Rare' handles—short or culturally significant names—will be distributed via public drops or invite‑only fixed‑price sales ranging from $2,500 to seven figures, and buyers can keep them without maintaining a subscription.
  • X says the controlled rollout aims to curb bot-driven sniping; users’ previous handles are frozen, and the company may offer paid redirects later.
  • Marketplace terms bar transfers and off‑platform sales, while journalists and analysts flag risks tied to unclear inactivity criteria, potential impersonation, and trademark disputes.