X (formerly Twitter) has launched a marketplace for users to buy and sell rare usernames.

X has announced the "Handle Marketplace," a new service available to Premium Plus and Premium Business subscribers. According to the official explanation, the system allows paying subscribers to search for and request inactive usernames, divided into two distinct categories.

The first category, "Priority handles," are available at no additional cost to subscribers and include names or common phrases. The second, "Rare handles," can cost anywhere from $2,500 to over a million dollars.

X will not treat this as a one-time transaction. If a user obtains a new handle, their previous handle is frozen. If a user cancels their X subscription, their account will revert to its original username, and they will lose access to the acquired handle.

The move appears to be designed to keep users subscribed to X Premium. The company is essentially turning usernames into a luxury rental service.

Platforms like Instagram and Threads do not have a public marketplace for handles. They do have procedures for reporting inactive accounts, impersonation, and trademark claims, but they do not allow users to purchase usernames. This is a unique strategy for X, which is turning inactive usernames into a potentially lucrative business.

The service is likely intended for brands, celebrities, and users who want a specific handle. For the average user, it is another feature available only behind a costly subscription. It is unlikely to solve the platform's larger problems; instead, it gives wealthy users another perk.

Paying a substantial amount for a handle, only to lose it if you discontinue your subscription, feels misguided. It is not ownership but rather a rental agreement with high stakes.

Consider a small business that spends $10,000 on a brand handle. They must maintain their Premium Plus subscription indefinitely. If they downgrade their subscription to reduce expenses, they will lose their brand identity and revert to their old handle.

While acquiring a desired username might be appealing, the current implementation is flawed. It is unlikely that many users would "buy" a handle they cannot keep.

X is reportedly offering to sell some users discarded handles for as much as $50,000

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