X is launching a marketplace for inactive handles

Premium Plus and Premium Business users will soon be able to browse and request inactive usernames on the X Handle Marketplace. Handles are going to be broken up into two broad categories. Priority handles will be free and “often include full names, multi-word phrases, or alphanumeric combinations.” Rare handles, on the other hand, will be a paid option, and “may be priced anywhere from $2,500 to over seven figures, depending on demand and uniqueness.”

X is treating this not as a one-time perk, but as an ongoing service to lure in more paid subscribers. If you secure a new handle, your old one will be frozen. The company says it may eventually offer a redirect option as a paid add-on. But more importantly, if you ever downgrade your X subscription, your account will revert back to your original username, and you’ll lose access to the one you snagged through the marketplace.