Elon Musk's social platform X (formerly Twitter) has announced a new program for redistributing handles that are no longer in active use but are still attached to old accounts. The platform has started the X Handle Marketplace to redistribute these inactive handles.
These handles will be available exclusively to Premium+ and Premium Business (Full Access) subscribers, who can search for and request their desired handle.
X's handle policy and the marketplace
X's general policy considers accounts inactive if they haven't been logged into for 30 days, with potential removal after prolonged inactivity (often cited as six months or more). The platform typically keeps valuable inactive handles reserved to prevent misuse or bot spam, rather than releasing them into the general namespace. X is now offering these handles through the Marketplace, which categorises them as either Priority or Rare.
Some handles are included with a Premium+ or Premium Business subscription, while others—especially Rare handles—may be priced anywhere from $2,500 to over seven figures, depending on demand and uniqueness.
Priority Handles
Priority handles are free to request for Premium+ and Premium Business subscribers.
- These handles often include full names, multi-word phrases, or alphanumeric combinations.
- Examples include: @GabrielJones, @PizzaEater, @ParadoxAI
- If a user's request is approved, X will transfer the handle to the user at no extra cost.
- X will take approximately three business days to review a request. If a user's request is declined, they may request another handle.
- Once a request is approved, the user's old handle is reserved and won't be given to anyone else. Their followers, posts, and account settings remain unchanged during the switch.
- If a user cancels or downgrades their subscription after receiving a Priority Handle, their old handle will return to their account after a 30-day grace period.
Rare handles
Rare handles include short, generic, or culturally significant names and are not available through standard requests.
- Examples include: @Pizza, @Tom, @One, @Fly, @Compute
- Users can acquire them through two methods: Public Drops (free, based on merit) and Direct Purchases (pre-priced, invitation-only).
- Public Drops: X will occasionally include Rare Handles in limited-time drops where multiple eligible users can apply. The platform typically drops specific handles that have wide appeal. Selection is based on:
- The user's past contributions to X.
- The user's intended use of the handle.
- Engagement and reach on the platform.
- Direct Purchases: Users can also purchase some rare handles directly, but access is by invitation only. Pricing is fixed, determined by a number of factors including the word's popularity, character length, and cultural significance.
- A valid Premium+ or Premium Business subscription is required to start the process. Once purchased, the user keeps the handle even if their subscription ends.
Rules and watchlist
Users are not allowed to sell these acquired handles, and selling or buying handles outside the platform is strictly forbidden and may lead to account suspension.
If a user doesn't find their desired handle on the Marketplace, they can use “Register your interest” to add the handle to their Watchlist. If it becomes available, X will notify them. Users can also utilise Grok to suggest similar handles that are currently available.
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