The domain name market has today become a cornerstone of the digital economy, with crypto and Web3 domains being part of it. Among the most popular in the cryptocurrency and Artificial Intelligence sector are .io and .ai, which are experiencing constant growth.Â
Crypto and Web3 domains: .io and .ai among the most widespread in the digital economy
The domain name market industry has become a cornerstone of the digital economy, with registrations worldwide reaching 369.5 million in 2023.Â
According to what has been analyzed, today, a domain name is no longer just a functional tool to create one’s online presence, but has become a strategic asset. In fact, startups and companies today seek to secure premium domains, as these names provide a competitive advantage in a global digital economy.
In fact, some top-level domains (TLD) have become a popular choice for startups and entrepreneurs, thanks to their relevance and brand appeal.Â
The first TLD most recognized in the world is the famous .com, which holds 37.6% of the market share, with 233.6 million registered domains.Â
Two other of the most famous domain names in the world, and among the most chosen for the crypto and Artificial Intelligence niche, are .io and .ai.Â
Specifically, the domain name .io is among the favorites of tech startups, particularly in the blockchain and cryptocurrency sectors. With over 270,000 registrations, it occupies a significant niche in the tech sector.
The TLD .ai then became a reference for companies operating in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning, with 353,928 domains that have been registered under the .ai domain.
Crypto and Web3 domains: record sale for .chat and Unstoppable Domains
The evolution of the domain name market is also reflected in the price increases and, therefore, the market sentiment on the perception of the digital space.Â
Regarding the crypto and Web3 niche, in 2024 there have been news and record sales, which demonstrate the emphasis towards this market.Â
For example, last month, OpenAI spent a whopping 15 million dollars to purchase the domain name chat.com, from Dramesh Sha, CTO of HubSpot. This move was aimed at OpenAI to strengthen the ChatGPT brand and increase its recognition in the vast landscape of conversational technologies.
In the crypto sector, the TLD .io (like the famous github.io) is favored for its connection with the technological term input/output.Â
Yet, there is a giant in this sector that acts as a provider of domain names, and it is Unstoppable Domains.
By collaborating with crypto companies, in fact, Unstoppable Domains has managed over the years to launch new TLDs for the crypto sector.Â
Among the most famous, there are .crypto, .nft, .wallet, .polygon, .dao, .zil, .blockchain, .pudgy, .bitcoin and many others.Â
The most recent TLD is the one for Monero, which is .xmr, launched last month after the collaboration between Unstoppable Domains and Cake Wallet.
The integration of Unstoppable Domains on MetaMask
Last October, Unstoppable Domains launched an integration with the MetaMask wallet that allows cross-chain resolution of its domains.
In practice, the over 4 million users of MetaMask will be able to carry out their crypto transactions using readable domain names on 23 blockchains, thus simplifying the interaction with the wallet.
Specifically, MetaMask Snap has been introduced through which users can replace the long alphanumeric wallet addresses with the simpler and easier to remember crypto domain names of Unstoppable Domains.
