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X may soon start selling inactive usernames to Verified Organizations starting at $10K, code reveals
Sarah Perez
Consumer News Editor
April 3, 2025 –
In a move that could potentially boost revenue for the platform, X is reportedly planning to sell off dormant usernames to verified organizations. According to recent changes found in the company’s web application, the service will allow these businesses to bid on abandoned handles starting at $10,000.
The plan was first spotted by reverse engineer Nima Owji, who revealed that the updates went live on Wednesday. A new “handle inquiry” process is being set up, which will enable verified organizations to initiate a bid for inactive usernames. These bids could reach prices exceeding $500,000.
It appears that X’s website, where these transactions would take place, has not yet been made available to the public.
This concept of selling off unused handles is not new; it was previously discussed under Elon Musk’s ownership. In January 2023, The New York Times reported on Twitter’s plans to establish an online auction process for bidding on usernames. Furthermore, in May 2023, inactive accounts were purged from X, and in November 2023, Forbes published an article stating that the company was seeking buyers interested in acquiring unused handles.
It is possible that this revenue stream could encourage users to remain active, thereby keeping their chosen handle from being sold. This plan may also provide another income source for X beyond subscription fees, advertisements, and developer access.
The FAQ detailing the process reveals a step-by-step guide on how users can initiate a handle inquiry and complete the purchase. This includes working with an automated support bot to start the inquiry process, X’s response time for availability of the desired username within three business days, the transfer of the purchased handle to the new owner in one or two days, as well as the possibility of moving it to another account already owned by the verified organization. Discounts may be granted to those purchasing multiple handles at once.
When contacted for comment on this matter, X did not respond.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/03/x-may-soon-start-selling-inactive-usernames-to-verified-organizations-starting-at-10k-code-reveals/
