Recently unearthed emails revealed that X, led by Elon Musk, has been exploring the sale of dormant user accounts, launching a marketplace for these unused usernames. These emails, intercepted by Forbes, highlighted a strategic move by a specific team within X, colloquially known as the “@Handle Team.”
The crux of this revelation suggests that X is devising a unique initiative where unused account names can be exchanged through a dedicated “handle marketplace.” The platform aims to recycle usernames left dormant by their original registrants. Allegedly, these email communications proposed a standardized purchase fee of $50,000 for interested parties, essentially opening up a commercial avenue to acquire such accounts.
In the backdrop of these developments, earlier discussions emerged about Musk’s intention to release a substantial number of usernames that have been dormant or underutilized. This aspiration is a part of an extensive cleanup operation aimed at freeing usernames that have remained inactive. Notably, previous steps included the removal of inactive accounts to declutter the platform, a move possibly linked to the decline in X’s valuation to $19 billion from its acquisition price of $44 billion last year.
CEO Linda Yaccarino underlined the company’s trajectory towards profitability by early 2024, accentuating the platform’s revival with 200-250 million daily active users and the return of approximately 1,700 advertisers. These developments hint at a strategic realignment and economic resurgence within X, spearheaded by Musk’s innovative directives.
