X’s Handles Marketplace May Value Rare Usernames Up to $1M, Aligning with Ethereum Web3 Identity Trends

• X Handles Marketplace enables bidding on inactive usernames for Premium subscribers.

• In beta, users can join waitlists for handle drops and request premium handles.

• Rare handles may fetch $2,500 to over $1 million, based on length and relevance, per industry estimates.

Discover X’s Handles Marketplace revolutionizing username trading for Premium users. Explore Web3 ties and valuation insights in this 2025 update. Stay ahead in digital identity—subscribe to COINOTAG for more crypto news.

What is X’s Handles Marketplace?

X’s Handles Marketplace is a beta platform launched by the social media giant X, enabling Premium subscribers to bid on and acquire inactive usernames. This initiative, rolled out in early 2025, aims to redistribute unused handles, treating them as valuable digital assets similar to Web3 identifiers. Available exclusively to paying users, it includes features like waitlist access for handle drops and direct requests for rare usernames, fostering a marketplace for online branding.

Available to Premium X users, the new marketplace could see rare usernames sell for up to seven figures.

Social media platform X is rolling out a new Handles Marketplace that allows users to bid on inactive usernames, a move that could reshape how digital identity and online branding are valued.

Currently in beta, the marketplace lets users join a waitlist for upcoming handle drop events, request handles through their Premium subscriptions and browse eligible inactive accounts. The company described it as a “solution to redistribute handles that are no longer in use,” available only to paying subscribers.

According to TechCrunch reports, rare handles could sell for anywhere from $2,500 to over $1 million, depending on their popularity, character length and cultural relevance. Premium+ subscribers can submit free requests for “priority” handles, while others may purchase “rare” handles directly.

Source: X Handles Marketplace

The initiative comes as X continues to seek new revenue streams beyond advertising. It also taps into the growing market for Web3 assets, where digital identifiers, like domain names or short usernames, are treated as forms of online real estate with real market value.

According to industry trackers, X has an estimated 557 million active users as of early 2025, though the company hasn’t disclosed how many inactive accounts exist or how many handles could be made available through the marketplace.

Still, the launch highlights a broader shift in how social media identity is being monetized, with usernames themselves now emerging as status symbols and potential investment assets.

How Does X’s Handles Marketplace Connect to Web3 Identities?

X’s Handles Marketplace intersects with Web3 by positioning usernames as tradable assets, akin to blockchain-based naming systems. For instance, services like Ethereum Name Service (ENS) and Unstoppable Domains enable users to own decentralized identifiers linked to crypto wallets, providing true ownership without central control. X’s approach, while centralized, echoes this by allowing bids on premium handles, potentially valuing short or culturally significant ones at high prices—estimates from market analysts suggest values up to $1 million for ultra-rare options.

This connection is particularly relevant for the crypto community, where X serves as a key platform for discussions on blockchain and digital assets. As noted in recent analyses by Cointelegraph, decentralized identities enhance user sovereignty, reducing reliance on platforms like X for verification. Expert blockchain developer Vitalik Buterin has emphasized in past statements that “self-sovereign identity is crucial for Web3’s future,” a principle that aligns with X’s monetization of handles as investable properties.

Data from Dune Analytics shows ENS domain registrations surpassing 2 million by mid-2025, with average sales for premium names reaching $10,000—figures that underscore the parallel market X is entering. By limiting access to Premium users, X not only generates revenue but also elevates the perceived value of its ecosystem, potentially integrating with crypto tools down the line. Short sentences like this make scanning easier: the marketplace is beta-only, focused on inactive accounts, and tied to subscription tiers for fairness.

Related: New advanced X account takeover attack targets crypto community

X and the emergence of Web3 social identities 

Amid the ongoing debate over digital identity, blockchain-based naming systems are emerging as a popular use case. Decentralized domain services such as the Ethereum Name Service (ENS) and Unstoppable Domains allow users to register human-readable names that link directly to their crypto wallets, replacing long and complex wallet addresses with simple identifiers.

These systems give users a stronger sense of ownership over their online identities, an idea that mirrors the push for digital self-sovereignty across Web3. 

While X’s new Handle Marketplace doesn’t take a decentralized approach, it relies on similar themes of digital identity as an asset. The platform has long been a hub for the crypto and blockchain community, making X a natural intersection between traditional social media and emerging Web3 identity trends.

Source: thyme

As Cointelegraph recently reported, X has also served as a platform for activist investors, including one who used the site to advocate for an overhaul of Polygon’s tokenomics, a proposal that ultimately received favorable feedback from the community.

Related: OpenAI is building ‘X-like social network’ to rival Elon Musk — Report

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can access X’s Handles Marketplace for username bidding?

Only Premium and Premium+ subscribers on X can access the Handles Marketplace. Users join a waitlist for beta events or submit requests based on their tier, with Premium+ offering priority access to rare handles without additional fees, ensuring a controlled rollout for verified paying members.

What makes a username valuable in X’s new marketplace?

A username’s value in X’s Handles Marketplace depends on its brevity, uniqueness, and cultural appeal—short handles under five characters often command the highest bids, up to seven figures per market experts. This mirrors Web3 trends where memorable identifiers enhance branding and are seen as long-term digital investments.

Key Takeaways

• Premium Access Only: X’s Handles Marketplace is exclusive to subscribers, promoting revenue diversification while redistributing inactive assets.
• Web3 Parallels: The platform draws from blockchain naming systems like ENS, treating usernames as ownable digital real estate with real monetary value.
• Market Potential: With 557 million users, expect high demand for rare handles—consider subscribing to monitor opportunities in this evolving space.

Conclusion

X’s Handles Marketplace marks a pivotal step in monetizing digital identities on social platforms, integrating elements of X Handles Marketplace valuation with broader Web3 trends like decentralized naming. As of early 2025, this beta feature could transform usernames into high-value assets, supported by data from industry trackers showing surging interest in online branding. Published by COINOTAG on October 15, 2025; last updated October 16, 2025. For deeper insights into crypto and social media intersections, follow COINOTAG for ongoing coverage and expert analysis.