X Will Soon Start Selling “inactive” Usernames.
If you haven’t logged into X in a while but still want to keep your username, you might want to do so soon. According to a recent post on the site formerly known as Twitter, the company will soon begin selling “accounts no longer in use” to paying subscribers.
The X Handle Marketplace feature is still being announced, but a waitlist is already open. Once activated, X Premium+ (which costs $40 per month ) and Premium Business subscribers will be able to request free (at least as part of their subscription) handles, as well as directly purchase particularly rare ones.
Rare usernames can cost $2,500 or more.
According to the FAQ page , prices for rare nicknames start at $2,500 and can exceed “seven figures, depending on demand and uniqueness.” You’ll also need an invitation to purchase a paid username, though obtaining free nicknames is also challenging.
There are two types of free usernames. Standard ones, called “priority” ones, are available for request by any subscriber who meets the requirements; X states that it typically reviews applications within three business days, though not all applications will be approved. However, X also states that it occasionally offers certain rare usernames (like those that typically require a fee) in giveaways, where multiple subscribers can apply for a username, and the winner is selected “based on merit.” What X considers “merit” includes past contributions to the site, intended use of the username, and engagement and reach on the platform.
Once you receive a new nickname, your current username will be locked to prevent others from changing it, and the @ sign on your page will change to the new one. X also states that it may offer paid redirects from old usernames to new ones in the future.
Please note: If you received a new nickname for free, you must maintain your subscription to continue using it. Users who have paid for their nicknames can terminate their X subscription early without losing it.
What X pens will be giving away for free
Regarding the types of inactive handles X will generate, the site provided several examples. Paid handles are typically short, one-word “culturally significant names,” such as @Pizza or @Tom. Meanwhile, free handles are most often full names or multi-word phrases, such as @GabrielJones or @PizzaEater.
As someone who doesn’t follow X, I’m concerned about full names, and I’d recommend logging into your account to preserve them. One of the reasons I haven’t deactivated my X account is because I don’t want anyone else to be able to create an account with my username, which is a variation of my full name. I don’t post there often, but I wouldn’t want others to be able to easily impersonate me.
With this in mind, I reached out to X to find out how the site decides when to provide “inactive” usernames for requests, and I’ll update this post once I hear back. However, X’s policy on inactive accounts states that users must log in “at least every 30 days” to keep their accounts active. So, if you’re concerned about your username being taken, it’s best to be on the safe side.
To be fair, distributing usernames from inactive accounts is not an uncommon practice on social media, though charging for it is quite unusual. X states that access to the X Handle Marketplace requires a subscription “to prevent spam from bots or abuse” so the site can ensure “fair and secure distribution through a controlled process.”
However, as another upcoming website change suggests, following an account doesn’t necessarily mean bot-free. I’m curious to see how the X Handle Marketplace launch goes when the feature becomes available to the (paid) public.