The premium domain AI.com has sold for $70 million, in one of the biggest publicly disclosed domain deals on record. Reports say Malaysian tech entrepreneur Arsyan Ismail sold the address to Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek. The transaction reportedly took place in April 2025 and was completed in cryptocurrency.
A $100 purchase that turned into a record deal
Ismail first registered AI.com in 1993 for about $100. Reports say he did it at age 10, using his mother’s credit card.
He has also said he picked “AI” because it matched his initials, Arsyan Ismail. He did not buy it to bet on artificial intelligence. At the time, the unfamiliar charge reportedly confused his mother.
Why Crypto.com wanted AI.com
Marszalek has described AI.com as a strategic brand asset. He has argued that a premium name helps a company avoid being “commoditised” as competition rises.
Crypto.com has tied the domain to a new product push. The company has presented AI.com as the front door for its AI offering.
The Super Bowl launch and “agentic AI”
AI.com relaunched around Super Bowl LX, according to company statements and media reports. The rollout included a high-profile ad campaign.
The platform focuses on “agentic AI”. The term refers to AI systems that can act on a user’s behalf to complete tasks, rather than only answering prompts.
Offers, timing and a negotiating lesson
Reports say Ismail had received offers close to $100 million before agreeing to $70 million. After the sale, he reportedly cautioned others against over-negotiating with a billionaire.
The deal also highlights how long-held digital assets can gain value. Short, global, category-defining names remain scarce. Demand has also surged as AI products move into mainstream use.
Who is Arsyan Ismail
Ismail has kept a relatively low profile in public. Reports place him in Malaysia’s tech scene across several phases of the internet era.
His background includes roles linked to online media and social platforms, including stints at Nuffnang and Friendster. He later founded 1337 Tech, according to reports about his career.
His LinkedIn profile lists past engineering roles and notes independent work with OpenAI starting in January 2025. He also lists a computer science degree from the University of Nottingham.
The AI.com domain sale now stands as a rare internet-era story with a modern twist. A name bought for $100 in the 1990s has become a $70 million bet on the AI age.