How to get unique but inactive ‘Twitter’ handles on X’s new Handle Marketplace

X, the micro blogging platform formerly known as Twitter, is launching a new marketplace that lets users buy or request inactive handles (usernames), a move designed to monetise one of its most coveted resources: handles. The programme, which blends exclusivity with subscription incentives, represents one of the clearest attempts yet by Elon Musk’s platform to diversify revenue beyond ads.

The “Handle Marketplace”, as the company calls it, will enable users to request, reserve, or directly purchase inactive usernames. The goal, according to the company, is to provide a “fair and secure distribution process” that avoids the chaos of open handle releases, where bots often snatch up desirable names within seconds.

The marketplace will operate in two key tiers: priority handles and rare handles. While both involve inactive usernames, how you get them and what they cost differ substantially.

Priority Handles: A perk for premium subscribers

Priority handles are designed to be accessible to X’s paying users, specifically, those subscribed to the Premium+ or Premium Business plans. These handles often include real names, brand-related phrases, or distinctive word combinations such as `@GabrielJones`, `@PizzaEater`, or `@ParadoxAI`.

If you’re a Premium+ or Business subscriber, you can request one of these handles at no additional cost. Once a request is submitted, X’s internal team reviews it, typically within three business days. Approval isn’t guaranteed; the company says it considers eligibility and potential for misuse before granting access.

If approved, the requested handle replaces your existing one. Importantly, your old handle is reserved for you, meaning it won’t be recycled or given away to someone else. However, if you later cancel or downgrade your Premium plan, you’ll lose the newly acquired handle after a 30-day grace period and revert to your previous username.

This setup effectively ties the value of a sought-after handle to an ongoing subscription, encouraging users to maintain, or even upgrade, their Premium status.

Rare Handles: The exclusive tier

Then there are rare handles, short, generic, or culturally significant usernames like ‘@Pizza’, ‘@Tom’, or ‘@One’. These are considered digital collectibles in their own right and won’t be accessible through the standard request process. 

Instead, they’ll be available in two ways:

1. Public drops: periodic release events where multiple users can apply for the same handle. The company says winners will be chosen based on several criteria, including their platform activity, engagement level, and proposed use of the handle.

2. Direct purchases by invitation: for particularly high-value names, the company plans to offer direct sales to select users or brands. Pricing will vary based on factors like word popularity, length, and cultural cachet. The company says these transactions could range from around $2,500 to well into seven figures.

Unlike Priority handles, Rare handles can be kept permanently, even if the buyer cancels their Premium subscription later.

Meanwhile, if the handle you want isn’t immediately available in the marketplace, the social media giant allows users to register their interest and add it to a personal watchlist. When or if that handle becomes available, you’ll receive a notification. It’s a way for users to stake an early claim and stay informed about names that might resurface after long periods of inactivity.

Why X is rolling out the Handle Marketplace

The launch of the marketplace effectively turns X usernames into digital collectibles. It formalises something that has existed informally for years, the underground trade of Twitter handles, but now under the company’s own roof and with its own price tag.

This is more than a convenience play; it’s a revenue strategy. Advertising has long been the company’s main income source, but since Musk’s takeover, ad spend on the platform has dropped significantly. Subscription services like Premium have helped, but uptake has been limited. The handle marketplace gives X a new monetisation path that directly leverages scarcity, a proven economic motivator.

Also read: Elon Musk affirms X has been underpaying creators

For businesses, creators, and influencers, a clean, memorable handle carries real value. It’s an element of brand identity, search visibility, and digital prestige. This new model monetises that value, much like how domain names became an asset class in the early internet era.

It also lets X maintain control over the process. Rather than releasing dormant accounts en masse (a move that would risk bot activity and impersonation), its “controlled marketplace” ensures every transaction passes through review system.

The marketplace blends exclusivity with structure, a calculated balance between accessibility for paying members and luxury pricing for the truly rare names.

Still, questions remain. How transparent will the approval process be? What safeguards exist against trademark misuse or squatting? And will high-priced handle sales spark legal disputes over identity or ownership?

For now, though, X’s new marketplace adds a fresh layer to the evolving economy of social media identity. For users, it’s an opportunity to finally claim a long-dormant name. For the company, it’s another step toward monetising every corner of its vast digital landscape, one handle at a time.