The username you’ve been eyeing since 2009 might finally be within reach—but it’s going to cost you more than you’d probably like to admit.
X has officially launched its Handle Marketplace, a feature that lets users purchase or claim usernames from dormant accounts that have been collecting digital dust for years. Think of it as a virtual real estate market, except instead of beachfront property, you’re bidding on @Pizza or @Tom. And yes, people are actually doing this.
The marketplace represents X’s latest attempt to squeeze revenue from its platform, this time by monetizing something that was previously just a matter of luck and timing: getting a good username. Those clever handles that early adopters snagged back when Twitter was still finding its footing? They’re now commodities.
All Premium+ and Premium Business members now have full access to the Handle Marketplace.
Just open your Premium Hub on any device and tap the new link.
We hope you find the handle you’ve always wanted. pic.twitter.com/QiG5qjlTQQ
— Handle Marketplace (@XHandles) November 21, 2025
The price of digital identity
Here’s the catch—and it’s a big one. To even browse the marketplace, you’ll need to subscribe to either Premium+ or Premium Business. That’s $40 per month or $200 per month respectively, before you even think about what you’ll pay for the actual username. It’s essentially a cover charge to enter an exclusive club where the drinks are also overpriced.
The marketplace splits available handles into two tiers: Priority and Rare. Priority handles are the more accessible option, featuring full names, multi-word phrases, or alphanumeric combinations like @GabrielJones, @PizzaEater, or @ParadoxAI. Anyone with the right subscription can apply for these, though X’s team still needs to approve your request.
Rare handles are where things get interesting—and expensive. These are the short, punchy, culturally significant usernames that make people do a double-take: @Pizza, @Tom, @One. According to X, these can fetch anywhere from $2,500 to well over seven figures, depending on how badly someone wants them. Access to Rare handles is invitation-only or through “public drops,” limited-time events where multiple users can throw their hat in the ring. X decides winners based on factors like your platform engagement, past contributions, and intended use of the handle.
A safety net… Sort of
If you’re worried about losing your current identity, X has built in some safeguards. Your old handle gets frozen when you switch, preventing anyone else from snatching it up. And if you grab a Priority handle but later decide the monthly subscription isn’t worth it, you can downgrade to the free version and reclaim your original username after 30 days. It’s like a digital cooling-off period.
The bigger picture
This marketplace launch comes at an interesting time. While X is creating new ways for users to invest in their platform presence, millions of Americans have reportedly left the app since the 2024 election. It’s a peculiar juxtaposition—selling premium identity features on a platform that’s simultaneously hemorrhaging users.
The move is also the latest chapter in X’s complicated relationship with user verification and identity since Elon Musk’s 2022 takeover. The platform’s monetization experiments have been, to put it mildly, rocky. Remember when X rolled out paid Blue checkmarks in 2023? That led to some memorable chaos, including a fake “verified” Eli Lilly account announcing free insulin, which actually moved the company’s stock price before anyone realized it was bogus.
X eventually reinstated blue checks for legacy accounts in 2024, but the paid verification system remains under scrutiny from EU regulators. Most recently, in October, the platform announced it would experiment with requiring accounts to share more information about their history and location—another layer in the ongoing evolution of how identity works on X.
Is it worth it?
Whether the Handle Marketplace represents innovation or desperation depends largely on your perspective. For businesses looking to secure brand-consistent usernames or individuals who’ve always dreamed of having that perfect handle, it might be worth the investment. For everyone else, it’s another reminder that on modern social platforms, everything—including your digital identity—has a price tag.
The real question is whether enough users still care about their X presence to make this marketplace thrive, or if it’ll become another footnote in the platform’s turbulent post-Musk history.
Stay tuned for more tech news and social media updates—follow us to keep up with the latest developments in the ever-changing digital landscape.