X launches marketplace for inactive IDs

Premium Plus and Premium Business users will soon be able to browse and request inactive usernames on X Handle Marketplace. The handles will be divided into two main categories. Priority handles will be free and “often include full names, multi-word phrases, or alphanumeric combinations.” Rare grips, on the other hand, will be a paid option and “can cost anywhere from $2,500 to upwards of seven figures, depending on demand and uniqueness.”

X does not view this as a one-time benefit, but as an ongoing service aimed at attracting more paying subscribers. If you secure a new handle, your old one will be frozen. The company says it could eventually offer a redirect option as a paid add-on. But more importantly, if you ever downgrade your X subscription, your account will revert to your original username and you will lose access to the one you purchased on the Marketplace.