Just as Elon Musk announced, X is granting free Premium and Premium Plus memberships to accounts with a significant number of verified followers.
Numerous X users have reported seeing the renowned blue “Verified” checkmark next to their handles, despite not subscribing to either paid X subscription tier. Musk’s recent announcement stated that accounts with over 2,500 “verified subscriber followers” would receive a complimentary Premium membership, while those with over 5,000 would be upgraded to a free Premium Plus membership.
Before Musk’s involvement, the verified symbol on Twitter was typically reserved for celebrities, politicians, journalists, and public figures. However, after the platform introduced paid verification, it became accessible to anyone purchasing a Premium membership. Previously verified X users who declined to subscribe lost their checkmarks, but Musk intervened personally to reinstate them for notable figures like Stephen King and LeBron James. Additionally, many accounts with over a million followers were automatically verified, including those belonging to deceased individuals or others who hadn’t requested verification.
Now, it appears that numerous influential X accounts with already substantial followings are once again receiving verification, regardless of their subscription status.
X users who were verified under this latest initiative reportedly received the following message, as shared by Peter Kafka of Business Insider.
