Social media platform X is introducing a new Handles Marketplace that enables users to bid on inactive usernames, potentially transforming how digital identity and online branding are perceived.
Currently in beta, this marketplace allows users to join a waitlist for upcoming handle drop events, request handles through their Premium subscriptions, and explore eligible inactive accounts. The company described it as a “solution to redistribute handles that are no longer in use,” exclusively available to paying subscribers.
According to TechCrunch, rare handles might fetch prices ranging from $2,500 to upwards of $1 million, influenced by their popularity, character length, and cultural significance. Premium+ subscribers can submit free requests for “priority” handles, while others can purchase “rare” handles outright.
This initiative comes as X seeks to diversify its revenue streams beyond advertising. It also connects to the expanding market for Web3 assets, where digital identifiers like domain names or concise usernames are viewed as forms of online real estate with tangible market value.
As per industry trackers, X has approximately 557 million active users as of early 2025, but the company hasn’t revealed the number of inactive accounts or the potential handles available in the marketplace.
The launch emphasizes a broader shift in monetizing social media identity, where usernames are now seen as status symbols and investment opportunities.
Related: New advanced X account takeover attack targets crypto community
X and the emergence of Web3 social identities
In the ongoing discourse about digital identity, blockchain-based naming systems are gaining traction. Decentralized domain services like the Ethereum Name Service (ENS) and Unstoppable Domains enable users to register human-readable names that directly link to their crypto wallets, replacing lengthy and intricate wallet addresses with straightforward identifiers.
These systems empower users with a heightened sense of ownership over their online identities, reflecting the movement toward digital self-sovereignty in Web3.
While X’s new Handle Marketplace doesn’t adopt a decentralized model, it shares similar themes of viewing digital identity as an asset. The platform has long been a gathering place for the crypto and blockchain community, making X a natural convergence point between traditional social media and burgeoning Web3 identity trends.
As Cointelegraph recently noted, X has also functioned as a platform for activist investors, including one who leveraged the site to push for a revision of Polygon’s tokenomics, a suggestion that ultimately received positive feedback from the community.
Related: OpenAI is building ‘X-like social network’ to rival Elon Musk — Report
