One of the most sought-after Internet addresses today, the domain AI.com was recently sold for about 70 million dollars, which set a new record in the world of Internet domains. However, the story behind this transaction is even more interesting than the figure itself.
According to Malaysian media, the seller of the domain is Arsyan Ismail, the founder of 1337Tech and a well-known blockchain and cryptocurrency investor in Malaysia. He started dealing with Internet development as a teenager, and he is responsible for the development of one of the first social sites in that country – Kawanster.
Domain bought at age 10 with mother’s credit card
Arsyan Ismail revealed in an interview that he bought AI.com back in 1993, when he was only 10 years old. The purchase was not driven by a vision of the future boom of artificial intelligence, but by the simple fact that the letters “AI” are the initials of his name.
In order to get the domain, he then secretly used his mother’s credit card and paid $100. When the bill arrived, the mother, according to him, was furious and tried to cancel the transaction through the bank, but without success.
The purchase at the time, which the family did not understand, three decades later turned out to be one of the most profitable investments in the history of the Internet domain.
Growth in value of 700,000 times
After 32 years, the initial $100 has grown to approximately $70 million, representing an increase in value of approximately 700,000 times. This example illustrates how short and globally recognizable domains, especially those associated with technological trends such as artificial intelligence, have become extremely valuable digital assets.
Today, AI.com is a symbol of the fastest growing technology field in the world, and its sale confirms how strategically important premium domains are for companies that want a strong global identity.
The story of the ten-year-old who bought a domain “on his own” has become a legend of the digital era and one of the most dramatic examples of long-term value growth on the Internet.