In the midst of creating new Super Bowl advertisements, Crypto.com founder Kris Marszalek has shattered the record for the most expensive domain name purchase in history by acquiring AI.com for $70 million. According to the Financial Times, the transaction was completed entirely via cryptocurrency with an undisclosed seller, surpassing all previous records.
Marszalek plans to launch the website during Sunday's major event, offering consumers personal AI agents for messaging, application usage, and stock trading. He told the Financial Times: "In the long run—10 to 20 years—[AI] will be one of the greatest technological waves of our lifetime."
This acquisition has reset the record for domain name transactions—even though the crypto industry itself is not known for frugality in spending. Previously, CarInsurance.com held the record at $49.7 million (2010), followed by VacationRentals.com ($35 million in 2007) and Voice.com ($30 million in 2019). Other jaw-dropping sales include PrivateJet.com ($30 million), 360.com ($17 million), and Sex.com, which has sold twice for over $13 million, although its second owner went bankrupt while attempting to monetize it.
"Assets like AI.com are irreplaceable," Fischer told the Financial Times. "When an opportunity arises, it may never come again."
Whether these massive domain names truly deliver a return on investment remains an open question. However, for Marszalek, who already owns Crypto.com and spent $700 million on stadium naming rights, owning two category-defining domain names clearly justifies the expenditure.
