X to Launch Handle Marketplace Offering Premium Access to Inactive Usernames

X (formerly Twitter) launches a new marketplace for Premium Plus and Business users to acquire dormant usernames, with prices ranging from $2,500 to seven figures, as part of a strategy to monetize digital assets amid declining ad revenue.

Summary

X (formerly Twitter) introduces a username marketplace for Premium Plus and Business members, allowing the purchase of dormant usernames, with prices ranging from $2,500 to $1 million. The initiative aims to generate revenue from digital assets as ad sales decline. The marketplace offers two categories of usernames: 'Priority' (free) and 'Rare' (paid), and includes a feature where changed usernames are frozen, with potential plans for a redirection service in the future.

Terms & Concepts
  • Handle Marketplace: A platform feature allowing users to purchase or claim inactive social media usernames, often with tiered access and pricing.
  • Premium Plus Subscription: A paid tier on X offering enhanced features and exclusive access, including participation in the Handle Marketplace.
  • Username Redirection: A proposed paid function that lets an old username redirect traffic to a new one after a change or upgrade.