X has launched a global handle marketplace that allows users to bid real money for previously inactive or suspended usernames. Paying subscribers can browse a catalog of available handles and submit bids through an in-app auction tool, with some starting prices reaching into the thousands. The rollout underscores the company’s push to diversify revenue as advertising income remains uncertain and debt costs weigh heavily.

The marketplace offers a chance for brands, influencers and long-time users to secure short, memorable handles they could never obtain before. At the same time, the system introduces new incentives around identity, making usernames a commodity rather than a simple account label. Digital-rights groups worry the move could encourage impersonation or abusive bidding behaviour if moderation remains understaffed.

The launch has also reignited debate over whether X can fairly arbitrate disputes in a system from which it profits directly. Trademark conflicts, impersonation claims and national consumer-protection rules could all complicate the marketplace if decisions lack transparency. Many smaller users fear they could be priced out of meaningful digital identities entirely.

The timing adds further pressure, as X has already lost some advertisers over concerns about content moderation and platform stability. A chaotic or unfair auction system could deepen trust issues, but a well-managed, transparent model might offer a blueprint for how large platforms regulate scarce digital “real estate.” Whether users embrace the change—or see it as a new paywall around identity—remains an open question.