Andrey Insarov
Founder, Intis Telecom and .it.com Domains Ltd. 

Intis Telecom Founder Andrey Insarov has made a huge splash since the domain industry since the serial entrepreneur joined in in 2022 with a $3.8 million purchase of IT.com. Andrey assembled a talented team of industry professional to turn the marquee domain into the foundation of a new .it.com domain registry. The registry immediately through its support behind every initiative they saw that would be beneficial for the industry at large including important new conferences in London and Dubai and sponsorship of the Internet Commerce Association. We profiled Andrey in a July 2022 Cover Story.

Andrey Insarov

At it.com Domains Ltd, we're excited to see the growth in IT-related domain names. .AI and .IO have become some of the most popular ccTLDs in the industry. That is if you don't count .com registrations. Since AI and IO are both part of the IT industry, we believe that our solution (it.com domains) can meet the needs of a wide swath of the global IT industry. One of our colleagues just finished a blog post discussing the pros and cons of the most successful technology-related domains (besides .ai and .io). These included .cloud, .computer, .dev, and .digital. All of them are successful suffixes. We'd like to think anyone registering these TLDs could also use an it.com domain.  

A recent report by Afternic showed that tech-related keywords were some of the most desired ones in aftermarket sales. These keywords included IT, AI, Solutions, Services, and Tech, in that order! IT had just recently risen above the others. That is more of an indication that we are on the right track for 2024.  

The other part of the it.com equation is that when a registrant registers an it.com domain, they get the technical category keyword part, but they also get a domain ending in .com. This is important because new gTLDs are still struggling with Universal Acceptance. Universal Acceptance encompasses more than just IDNs. IDNs may be the most obvious challenge for UA, but a recent article indicated that the problems affect many more new TLDs than previously thought.    

For example, a recent article at CircleID pointed out that many of the world's developers still ignore the linkification of new gTLDs. Rami Schwartz, the CEO of Latin American Telecom LLC, addressed Universal Acceptance issues related to the .TUBE top-level domain. He pointed out to the ICANN Board that there are still challenges faced in making .TUBE domains function correctly in popular messaging apps like WhatsApp.  

He pointed out that if you type a .com URL into the WhatsApp interface, it automatically "linkifies" it. In other words, once you hit send, the .com domain becomes a link. He stated that .xyz is the only one of the new gTLDs that this works with. We can go on about this, but our point is that it.com domains work for linkification (because they are based on the existing .com zone). New gTLD users face many problems that our end users don't. Try it. Go to WhatsApp and send someone a message. Mr. Schwartz is right. By the way, we support the UA effort and want all domains to work for all users. But in this respect, today, it.com offers a significant advantage.    

Yet, we face many challenges. In today's environment, where there are already over 1400 domains in the IANA root, getting attention is difficult. In addition, some registrars have moved to a kind of PPC environment, so it is costly to release a new suffix. But we're prepared and well-funded, so we expect to be well-established by the time new gTLDs come out again.  

In 2023, we focused on building our registrar channel. We had a fantastic Sunrise period in January and February and were fortunate enough to have some of the best brand-related registrars on board. Throughout the rest of the year, we focused on recruiting more mainstream registrars. That effort will continue throughout 2024, but we are also entering the IT world, identifying our most important global markets and executing a strategy to create demand. This will be our recipe for success in the coming year.

Trillion Founder David Warmuz will be celebrating the company's 27th anniversary this year. David, who serves as CEO of both Trillion its popular domain monetization, aftermarket and brokerage platform, Above.com, launched Trillion (originally named Trellian) with his late brother Ren and their remarkable journey was detailed in a November 2017 DNJournal Cover Story. 

David Warmuz

2023 was an amazing year for the industry but also one with mixed results.

For Above.com: Domain Sales once again broke all records via our Above Marketplace and Brokerage Services, we fully anticipate to repeat this trend in 2024 with even more sales.

Domain renewal numbers of parked domains saw some contraction due to lower than expected results, however the new domain registrations saw a huge growth thanks to some major price discount promotions offered throughout the year, such as .co .biz .us .club for $2.95 or under. The next one starts on 15 Jan and goes for 10 days, so we anticipate to have continued growth as investors secure inventory for resale and for monetization as many will make more than the registration costs.

Domain Parking revenues from Google based providers were well down from the start of the year to the end. Policy changes, new browser features, google not paying as much, wars and the global economic downturn were all factors leading to this. There is one more policy change due to go live mid Jan 2024 that may affect the numbers some more. Will be interesting to see, but after that it should be fairly consistent and revenues I believe should stabilize for the rest of the year.

The demand for domain traffic by advertisers is still going up, which has made a huge impact for domain investors to maintain overall revenues. We forecast substantial growth in 2024 as we can secure bigger advertisers and brands that continue to see value of domain traffic. In 2023 Trellian.com rebranded to Trillion.com, only two letters but a huge difference with a new sales and account management team to help drive advertising spends.

As for industry acquisitions, not as many as expected but still a few. Late in the year we acquired a long time competitor, DomainPower.com that was no longer the focus for the new owners, and I feel that 2024 will see some big names be acquired both in the monetization side and also in the ad media side.

Overall 2024 should see substantial growth in domain sales, direct advertiser spends, even more arbitrage as many new players enter the space, bitcoin price is predicted to continue to increase leading up to the halving this year in April, I would not be surprised to see it beat prior records.

.ART CMO Jeff Sass was formerly CMO and Co-founder of .CLUB Domains (sold to GoDaddy), CMO of Paw.com, and is the author of "Everything I Know about Business and Marketing, I Learned from THE TOXIC AVENGER." He is a former board member of The Domain Name Association (TheDNA.org).

Jeff Sass

2023 saw some expected and unexpected trends and events in the domain industry. On the unexpected side of the fence, like many we were surprised by Google’s seemingly sudden departure from the domain registrar business. As I am sure my friends at other registries will agree, this was especially surprising as from our perspective Google was a successful registrar selling many .ART domains, including many premium domains, and they did so without discounting prices. From a registry’s perspective Google customers wanted domains and were willing to pay a premium for them to get them from a trusted brand, Google.

On the expected side of the fence, 2023 saw an increase in chatter and activity around Web3 and so-called blockchain domains, and at .ART we introduced a simple way for registrants of a .ART DNS domain to register their matching .ART ENS name to use as a wallet address or point to other Web3 assets. Our process insures that the DNS and ENS side of a .ART name are always in sync with only the owner of the DNS name able to register and manage the matching ENS name. 

While in 2023 it seemed the shine had dulled for NFTs, we saw an increase in NFT interest in the art world resulting in many .ART domain registrations related to NFTs, digital, and generative art. The market for “get rich quick” cartoony NFTs may have lost its luster, but in the more traditional art world the interest and activity around collectible digital art and generative art is growing. The Museum of Modern Art launched MoMA Postcard as part of its permanent collection, an online generative art piece that is a communal NFT project. MoMA also featured a mesmerizing installation of a generative art piece, UNSUPERVISED, by Rafik Anadol. The Norman Rockwell Museum released its first NFTs of Norman Rockwell’s art. At Art Basel/Miami Art week in December one of our adopters, Gateway.art, held an impressive exhibition of NFTs and digital art at Miami’s FAENA FORUM, featuring works from Christie’s and a wide range of digital artists (including Anadol) as well as a digital collectible series from Mercedes-Benz (who also uses Mercedes-Benz.art to promote their corporate art collection).

Another 2023 trend in the domain industry and in many respects all industries, is AI. At .ART we’re very bullish on AI and in particular generative AI and the boost it is having on the amount of art being created and new artists being empowered by technology, all things that bode well for .ART registrations.  

2023 saw a leveling off of the “Covid Spike” the entire industry enjoyed, but business remained steady and the importance of finding and using the right domain name continues to be of paramount importance to individuals and businesses worldwide.

In 2024 it will be interesting to see how the playing field for Web3 domains plays out as moves by ENS and the blockchain name companies, as well as several different initiatives by registry and registrar groups seek more mainstream adoption of Web3 capabilities as part of the value proposition for existing DNS domains. Perhaps 2024 will determine if there is real utility in Web3 domains or if Web3 compatibility is a solution in search of a problem. From our perspective, for the reasons stated above regarding the expansion of digital and generative art, we think .ART is particularly well-positioned to appeal to end-users and businesses more active in the Web3 world and we’re optimistic we’ll see continued growth in our matching ENS registrations.

AI will continue to make rapid advances in 2024, which may impact the way consumers look at search and other internet services, but even in an AI driven world, individuals and businesses will need to have unique and memorable domain names to establish and secure their digital identity. And don’t forget that email is still, arguably, the killer app for most people.

On behalf of Ulvi and the entire .ART team, regardless of how these predictions pan out, we wish everyone in this great industry a safe, healthy, and prosperous 2024.

Karen Bernstein is the seasoned Intellectual Property Attorney & Managing Partner of NYC based Bernstein IP, which counsels & represents clients on patent, trademark, copyright, trade secrets, Internet, First Amendment, defamation, and right of publicity matters. Karen is a twice elected Director of the Board of the International Cannabis Bar association, a member of INTA, the Intellectual Property Constituency at ICANN, and the New York State Bar Association's Cannabis Law Section.

Karen Bernstein

2023 was all about AI and the enterprising companies that offer the public a bridge between Web2 and Web3 domain names and TLDs. AI is everywhere. In 2023, ChatGPT dominated the headlines.  AI technology helps to generate new brand names, create new domain names, and even help lawyers draft legal briefs, among other things. With the advent of ChatGPT, domain registrations in the Dot AI ccTLD skyrocketed and some have sold for quite a bit of money.  

In addition, while Bored Apes and other NFTs may have lost significant value in 2023, the emergence of bridging Web3 and Web2 domain names has many in the domain industry and elsewhere intrigued by the possibilities. Companies offered the public the ability to register their matching Web2 domain names in the Web3 universe (and vice versa) and have simplified browser access to Web3. Other companies also offered the ability for the public to create their own TLDs in Web3.

AI will continue to be in our lives in 2024 but whether the domain name registration frenzy of Dot AI ccTLDs in 2023 will continue into 2024 is an unknown. Based on my observations last year about Web3 operators reaching into the Web2 arena, I predict that 2024 will be the year that Web3 operators will prepare to apply to ICANN for Web2 domain extensions in the second round (expected to open up in early 2026) and my firm will be there to guide them.  

Kathy Nielsen has been an influential domain industry executive for over 15 years now. After spending seven years at Sedo where she rose to VP, she helped the .GREEN registry get off the ground and launched her own consulting firm. In 2020 the Godaddy Registry brought her on board to serve in her current role as Director of Premium Domains.

Kathy Nielsen

In 2023, we witnessed a strong performance of premium domain names from a registry perspective. A growing number of companies chose to buy new TLDs and ccTLDs, likely due to their availability, affordability and unique ability to capture the essence and identity of a brand. Plus, they can be great for marketing campaigns! While not disputing the value of a solid .com domain name, new TLDs and ccTLDs can pack a lot of punch for businesses, both large and small, and their value cannot be ignored.  

Many domain investors don’t realize that registry premium names fall into two categories. Premium tier domains are pre-defined and set in price tiers for registrars to easily access and sell via EPP. Then, there are the high value premium domains, where prices are subject to negotiation due to the higher price point, typically sold through aftermarket platforms or brokers. Notably, in 2023 we saw many savvy investors around the world delving into premium tier domains, where registration costs are premium yet affordable with upside potential. The appeal lay in the straightforward “buy now” scenario, devoid of negotiations, as these domains adhere to pre-defined price tiers. The flexibility to register them at any time, through any registrar selling the TLD adds to their attractiveness. Domain investors looking to expand and/or diversify their portfolios in 2024 may want to keep an eye out for registry premium sales that are increasingly offered by many registrars.

These are a few of the things I think about when I look to the year ahead:   

1.  Challenging and uncertain economic conditions tend to lead to a rise in micro-businesses, startups and side hustles, which usually leads to an increase in domain registrations inclusive of premiums.

2.  AI tools can dramatically improve domain discovery and suggestion, which in turn can lead to more premium name exposure and buying.

3.  There is an increasing number of registrars offering simple, streamlined options for buyers to pay for premium domains. This can make premium domains more accessible to more people.

4.  Now more than ever, it’s easier, faster and less expensive to get up and running with a new premium digital property. The environment for startups is very different from even a few years ago.  AI-powered solutions are widely available, helping accelerate development and reduce the need for a lot of money and resources to get started. The integration of AI in business, website, and marketing tools not only levels the playing field but also allows small businesses to build and expand rapidly by helping expedite website construction, target the right audience more effectively, make informed decisions based on data, and engage with customers promptly and accurately – benefits that extend even to solopreneurs. 

Many venture capitalists anticipate 2024 will be a year of transition leading into a new cohort of companies. The easy money that came with ultra-low interest rates in the past led to an onslaught of startups, many of which faced challenges that led to setbacks and closures. Some believe that this cycle will lead to a new group of startups. Borrowing money may be more expensive with high interest rates but it’s never been easier to get a new business up and running online, and with the help of widely available, affordable and sophisticated AI tools, almost anyone can do it.

Lisa Box is an energetic and innovative executive with expertise in revenue acceleration through alliances, channels, business and corporate development. Lisa is a technology leader with a robust history of launching new teams, programs, products, and strategies. She has over 20 years of experience spearheading new product development, pricing, and packaging in executive positions

Lisa Box

In 2023, our industry witnessed transformative trends and pivotal events that reshaped the landscape of online identity and domain management. Among the most notable developments was the surge in the adoption of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), particularly the .social domain. This trend was driven by the rise of decentralized platforms such as Bluesky and Mastodon, which innovatively utilized domain names as foundational elements for user identities. The impact of this shift was significant, with a remarkable increase in .social domain registrations. This surge underscores a growing recognition of the importance of authentic online identities.  

In response to this trend, we launched a series of targeted marketing initiatives, aptly named “Hero” campaigns. These campaigns were designed to raise awareness and encourage the adoption of new gTLDs among specific audience segments. Working collaboratively with our channel partners, these campaigns have already yielded positive results, evidenced by increased domain registrations within these targeted groups.  

Another significant shift observed in 2023 was the evolution of the content creator economy. Content creators are progressively moving beyond traditional platform-based models, such as Link-in-bio features, towards establishing more comprehensive online identities. A prime example of this evolution is Beacons, a platform that has seen remarkable growth by integrating domain names into their operational framework. This integration has led to a threefold increase in their paid subscriptions and a 15% boost in their Lifetime Value (LTV), illustrating the substantial commercial benefits of expanded online identities.  

Perhaps the most pivotal trend in 2023 was the unprecedented level of collaboration within the industry, aimed at enhancing the overall health and safety of the internet. A landmark achievement was the establishment of the Brand Safety Alliance. This consortium is dedicated to developing innovative products and services that empower brand owners to safeguard their online presence more effectively.  

In 2024, the industry will see a transformative shift towards expedited digitalization in web experiences, profoundly influenced by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). This evolution has been particularly significant across various segments, including individual users, prosumers, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), and large enterprises. A key aspect of this shift is the growing need for a distinctive digital identity.  

The rise in AI and traditional web experience platforms have been instrumental in providing descriptive domain alternatives that enable companies to establish a strong brand presence. This approach is not just about having a memorable web address; it's about creating a brand identity that resonates on both sides of the dot. Our research substantiates this strategy, revealing that three out of four of new brand owners prefer a descriptive domain name for their digital presence.  

Last, but definitely not least, the market for high-end domain sales is set to expand significantly. Our company's experience in 2023, marked by a record number of sales in platinum domain names, underscores this trend. Notably, over 96% of Fortune 50 companies have invested in Identity Digital domains, reflecting the high value placed on distinctive digital identities. This burgeoning market presents a lucrative opportunity for brokers and investors, as the appeal of descriptive domains continues to grow among entrepreneurs, established brands, and end-users alike.

Michael Gilmour founded his first business when he was 16 years old and has been an avid online entrepreneur for over 30 years. After completing his MBA and founding a number of ecommerce businesses, Michael served as a director of the prestigious Australian Internet Industry Association, the last two of which he was elected to the position of vice-chairman. Michael, who has been a domain investor for over 15 years, co-founded ParkLogic in 2007. The company maximizes domain revenue and manages domain portfolios for clients all over the world.

Michael Gilmour

During COVID, users and businesses rushed to move online, and this created a large demand for traffic which then created a spike in earnings per click rates. In a post-COVID 2023 world, there has been a softening of the advertising market and companies such as Google and Facebook have not surprisingly reported this as being the case. The reduced demand for traffic has flowed down to domain monetization with lower-than-previous returns in the latter half of the year.

A key part of the ParkLogic value proposition is managing our client’s risk. Rather than exposing traffic to a single advertising source, our routing algorithm sends traffic to a host of advertising networks, and this has helped reduce the impact of the overall advertising industry decline. As part of our regular focus on improving results ParkLogic released a number of performance enhancements throughout 2023 and we are currently in the middle of a development cycle that we believe will provide clients with a significant improvement in their numbers. ParkLogic was established in 2007 and it’s through a relentless focus on improvement that has resulted in ParkLogic being one of the longest serving monetization companies in the industry.

We see the online advertising market improving from the middle of this year and this will result in an upward trend for traffic domain investors. At ParkLogic we believe that 2024 will be the year of innovation. There are a number of key projects that we’ve been working on that will be released in 2024 that will provide major benefits for domain investors. In addition, we will continue our pursuit of reducing our client’s risk away from single sources of advertising revenue while simultaneously improving results.

Andy Grove from Intel Corp coined the phrase, “Only the paranoid survive.”, and this one statement summarizes our attitude to business and is one of the reasons why ParkLogic has remained at the forefront of the industry for the past 17 years. I’m a firm believer that unless a business innovates then it will stagnate and eventually fail. I’m very excited that 2024 being a year where innovation will be the key to unlocking additional value from domains for clients.

After a successful 20-year career in online marketing, Michael Robrock took on a major role at Sedo in August 2019 as their new Chief Operating Officer. Barely a year later, on Sept. 1, 2020, Robrock was picked to lead the company as the industry giant's new CEO. Now well into his 4th year at the helm, Robrock continues to keep Sedo's global domain operations on track and running full steam ahead.

Michael Robrock

In 2023, there was a lot of uncertainty in the world, which affected both politics and the economy. This also had an impact on the domain industry overall. One result was restricted access to money and, as a consequence, it was harder for people to get money to buy and sell domains. In 2023, DNJournal's Top 100 Sales list showed fewer big public domain sales compared to the previous year. One reason for this could be that there were fewer (private) sales reported. When we look at the higher-priced domain sales on the Sedo marketplace in 2023, we notice that more deals were kept confidential compared to previous years.

While .com domains continued to command the highest prices, 2023 saw increased competition from other TLDs. The top 100 sales list reflected this diversity, with 15 additional TLDs making appearances, including ccTLDs such as .es, .de, and .fi, as well as new gTLDs like .win, .online, and .cloud. Our domain marketplace, with its strong international focus, had already shown rising prices for non-.com domains, now a trend that became more prominent in 2023. Notably, the .io and .ai endings experienced substantial growth in popularity and value, showing no signs of slowing down.

Despite some adverse external circumstances, domain trading at Sedo still had a pretty solid year. While the absence of major public deals may raise concerns, a closer look at day-to-day business on our marketplace reveals a very satisfactory number of sales and revenue. Notably, 42 of DNJournal’s top 100 sales took place via Sedo, a testament to the confidence and trust placed in our trading platform.We are proud and grateful that so many buyers and sellers once again chose our platform as their leading source for domain trading. Off we go into a promising year 2024! 

The year 2024 is likely to be full of ups and downs, as global events impact how money moves around, which also affects buying and selling of website domains. The world economy is expected to slow down and there are over 70 big elections occurring, which could increase volatility in the domain industry.

In 2024, a major focus will be on artificial intelligence (AI). More and more companies will be paying attention to Web3 and AI, which are becoming really important in shaping opinions and creativity. This also means that domains related to AI will become more popular. However, many companies haven't yet figured out how they want to use AI. When they do, there will probably be even more interest in AI-related domains.  

In 2024, we expect that certain types of keywords will be in high demand, such as ones that work well with voice search, as well as words related to chatting, bots, machine learning, renewable energy, and the defense and aerospace industries. We also predict that there will be more interest from China and India in the domain market this year.

Monte Cahn is a true domain industry pioneer who has handled some of the biggest domain sales on record while providing world class aftermarket services since entering the industry (before it was even an industry) back in 1994. Never content to stand still, Monte has continually plowed new ground. He is the originator of live domain auctions and a serial entrepreneur whose latest venture with .hiphop has historical implications.

Monte Cahn (left) and Ice-T

In my 29 years in the domain industry the one tenor that never changes... we are constantly evolving and adapting to the changing needs and preferences of online users and businesses. There was a 25% increase in global internet traffic in 2023 from 2022, with no signs of slowing.  Although .Com is still recognized as the most popular extenstion from history, there is a rise of alternative TLD registrations, sales, and acquisitions as the availability of .COM domains continue to decline in the primary market.  More and more users and businesses are opting for alternative TLDs that offer more creativity, uniqueness, and relevance.  The domain name industry is also more influenced by the growing popularity and innovation of Web3 identies, crypto, and NFTs as digital assets that are verified and secured by blockchain technology. 

Decentralized digital assets offer more security, privacy, and freedom than traditional domains, as they are not yet subject to censorship, regulation, or intermediaries. The integration of crypto payments and wallets allow users and businesses to buy, sell, and manage domain names and digital assets using cryptocurrencies. This trend can enable faster, cheaper, and more convenient transactions, as well as access to new markets and customers. The creation and trading of domain NFTs (domain names that are minted and sold as NFTs) are unique and scarce digital tokens that represent ownership and value. This adds a new layer of collectibility, rarity, and investment potential to all domain names linked to the blockchain, as well as new opportunities for branding and marketing for individuals and corporations. For example, .Art, .Link, and our .HipHop extensions have now built interface bridges to the Web3/Blockchain matching Web2 to Web3 digital identities to enable more utility and future usage than traditional Web2 domain names.  

For reference, the global blockchain market was valued at $8.89 billion in 2023. The market is projected to reach $674.41 billion by 2030.  The global Web3 market size was at $2.2 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to $81.90 billion by 2032.  The global metaverse market was valued at $83.9 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $1.30 trillion by 2030.  The global Internet of Things market was valued at $320.9 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to $1.56 trillion by 2032, and finally, the global AI market at $454.12 billion in 2022 is expected to grow to $2.57 trillion by 2032. Because of these new market trends, sales of right of the dot and left of the dot keyword digital assets have greatly increased in desirability and value resulting in record sales.  

On the .HipHop Registry of things, we spent the entire 2023 year building awareness of the .HipHop domain extension to the Hip Hop community and culture.  We also invested a great deal of money and resources in research and development bridging and interfacing the Web2/DNS of .HipHop to the Web3/Blockchain ENS side.    

Giant .hiphop ad in New York's Times Square put the new TLD in the spotlight last summer.

August 11th marked the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop and we sponsored and attended 19 events and conferences in multiple locations throughout the the US and Europe.  The Hip Hop culture is stronger than ever and the community has grown to 2 Billion people worldwide!  The 50th celebrations and dedications were widespread in many cities and communities worldwide with special TV documentaries, concerts,  and dedications at the Grammy’s, BET Awards, AMA, MTV, Oscars, Emmys, Golden Globe, Tonys, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rock the Bells tours, etc.  We are very bullish on what is about to come this year as the year-long celebrations continue and beyond in helping the community register and use their .HipHop assets across various Web2 and Web3 applications.

The continued integration of blockchain and decentralized domains, digital assets, and overall blockchain technology will also have a significant impact on the domain name industry. Social media platforms will continue to play a vital role in the domain name industry, as they provide users and businesses with a way to showcase their content, products, and services. Domain names will have to be consistent and compatible with social media handles, hashtags, and usernames, as well as reflect the user's or business's personality, values, and goals. 

Crypto and NFTs will also have a significant impact on the Hip Hop industry, culture, and community with the emergence of crypto rap, which is a subgenre of rap that focuses on topics related to cryptocurrencies.  The creation and trading of Hip Hop NFTs, which are songs, albums, or artworks that are minted and sold as NFTs, are unique and scarce digital tokens that represent ownership and value. This adds a new layer of collectibility, rarity, and investment potential to the Hip Hop industry, as well as new opportunities for branding and marketing. The integration of crypto payments and donations, allows artists and fans to buy, sell, and support Hip Hop music using cryptocurrencies.  This enables faster, cheaper, and more convenient transactions, as well as access to new markets and customers  

Munir Badr is an internet entrepreneur who started a domain registration & web hosting company - AEserver out of his Dubai bedroom back in 2005. The company became the go-to source for .ae domain name registrations (the national internet domain of the UAE). A long-time advocate for growth in the MENA region, Munir took another giant step in that direction by launching the Domain Days conference in Dubai in November 2023.

Munir Badr

In 2023, the domain industry witnessed several significant trends and events that shaped the landscape. One notable trend was the increasing importance of regional events in fostering collaboration and networking within the industry. The industry hosted various events in all parts of the globe, mainly the Nordics, UK, Europe and North America. In response to this, I curated and organized an impactful event called 'Domain Days Dubai' in collaboration with industry leaders, which took place in Dubai on 1-2 November 2023.

Domain Days Dubai aimed to provide a unique platform for professionals from the MENA region (Middle East & North Africa) in the domain industry to connect, share insights, and explore opportunities in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. The event attracted both local & global key players, experts, and enthusiasts from 55 countries, making it a focal point for discussions on emerging trends, market dynamics, and future prospects within the domain & web/cloud hosting industry.

As an organizer of Domain Days Dubai, my goal was to not only highlight the significance of the MENA region in the global domain industry but also to create a platform that encourages innovation, knowledge-sharing, and strategic partnerships. The positive feedback and active participation from attendees underscored the success of the event in addressing the industry's current trends and future outlook.

Looking forward at trends, the domain industry is likely to see a continued shift towards regional events that facilitate deeper connections and collaborations between players that have never met at other events or cannot travel far.

As I look ahead to 2024, the domain industry is poised for dynamic shifts, presenting both opportunities and challenges. Here is my take on this:

Trends:
1. Web3 Domains: Expect an increased adaption of blockchain tech for hybrid domains (co-existing in both in web2 and web3)
2. AI and Automation AI will play a bigger role in domain management, streamlining operations and improving user experiences for both clients and registrars/hosts.
3. New gTLDs: The industry is gearing up for the introduction of the 2nd round of new gTLDs that will reshape the industry, offering even more diverse domain options.

Opportunities:
1. Global Expansion: Scale the business into new markets and regions by developing localized content in local languages.
2. Educational Initiatives: Provide resources to enhance domain market literacy for informed decision-making, ownership rights and domain value with time.
3. Partnerships: Form strategic partnerships for innovative solutions and services instead of spending time/money on R&D to build a similar product

Challenges:
1. Cybersecurity Threats remain the key challenges for our industry and has no borders. Mitigate risks associated with domain hijacking and phishing, infrastructure security.
2. Regulatory Changes: Stay adaptable to regulatory shifts impacting the industry, this especially applies to ccTLD registries that have sudden changes that can disrupt a business and cash flow models.
3. Competition: Stand out in a competitive market with innovation and exceptional service.

In summary, 2024 presents promising opportunities for the domain & hosting industry. Through innovation, adaptability, and community engagement, we aim to navigate changes, capitalize on opportunities, and contribute to the industry's positive growth.

Over the past 13 years, Paul Nicks has steadily risen through the ranks at GoDaddy to become President, Domains, a job that includes oversight of the company's huge aftermarket operations (GoDaddy Auctions, Afternic, Uniregistry and Dan.com). From day one Paul has been an advocate for domain investors within the company and that has resulted in GoDaddy's embrace and support of the community, including sponsorship of the Internet Commerce Association. We profiled Paul in a December 2002 Cover Story.

Paul Nicks

2023 marked a transformative period in the domain industry, with artificial intelligence (AI) emerging as a driving force behind new technologies and opportunities. Domain sellers, for example, capitalized on the AI trend, with ‘AI’ appearing regularly as one of the top keywords selling each month at Afternic. Meanwhile, at GoDaddy, we saw a 6X jump in .ai net adds in 2023, compared to 2022, based on internal data as of January 2024. 

AI has also been integrated into the products we use in the industry. At GoDaddy, we launched a ChatGPT plugin to suggest domain name registration ideas based on interactions with ChatGPT.

That technology made its way to the GoDaddy.com primary domain search path, where buyers can start their domain search with an idea rather than a keyword, a significant shift in how buyers find and secure domain names.

Elsewhere, in a surprising turn of events, 2023 witnessed Google’s exit from the domain registra0on business. After almost a decade in the domain industry, Google decided that domains were not core to its long-term business.

Finally, in 2023, the aftermarket experienced a decrease in high-value deals. The years leading up to 2023 saw steady growth, boosted by a shift in focus following COVID-19. Despite the decrease in larger transactions, the market in 2023 was still higher than what portfolio holders experienced before the pandemic.

 In response to trends and world events, domain portfolio holders have adapted their strategies. For example, we have seen many investors embrace Lease to Own as a way to create recurring revenue from their portfolios, a service Afternic introduced in 2023.

 Looking ahead to 2024, we’ll see the utility of domain names being further explored with a focus on bridging the gap between the existing global DNS system and new blockchain-based technologies. The pair have co-existed for years without much of an overlap. We can expect some of this current separation to disappear in 2024 as domain names begin to introduce more blockchain utilities.

AI was pivotal in 2023 and in 2024 we will continue to see AI’s influence on how we buy, sell, manage and utilize domain names. GoDaddy will be introducing Airo, an exciting platform that uses AI tools to create a website in seconds. I expect that reduced friction in bringing businesses online will contribute to steady deals for aftermarket domain sellers, too.

 I wish everyone reading this a happy and successful 2024 and I’m excited to meet many of you in person this year at events such as the ICA’s annual meeting in Las Vegas this month.

Sandeep Ramchandani is a respected authority in the global domain and web hosting industry, boasting over two decades of experience. As an early member of the Directi Group, he played a pivotal role in leading LogicBoxes to becoming the leading player in the domain name automation space. With a rich history as a pioneer in the domain industry, Sandeep has held diverse leadership positions encompassing strategy, policy, business development and product management. Today, he spearheads Radix, the world's largest new domain registry, boasting an impressive portfolio of ten new domain extensions.

Sandeep Ramchandani

After 2022’s big correction where .com registrations fell by close to 10%, all eyes were on the macro picture. The outlook towards 2023 was extremely grim with top economists pegging the probability of a recession at 65%. Fortunately, the economy proved to be incredibly resilient. Inflation started to cool off and the US economy grew every quarter of ‘23 with Q3 growing over 5%.

Radix witnessed a sharp 36% rise in new reg volume. Even when adjusted for higher churn due to elevated sales promos activated in ‘23, we expect to experience at least a 10% growth in LTV generated.
 
2023 also marked our highest ever premium sale in betting.online going for $400k. This deal is also in DnJournal’s top 10 highest publicly reported sales of the year across all TLDs.

Despite all of these positive developments, our biggest success story of the year was the partnership with the largest YouTuber in the world, Mr. Beast, who relaunched his merch store on mrbeast.store. It's a big step towards enabling .store to become the de facto choice for anyone looking to sell anything online.

Panning back to the industry level, the most successful company would probably be Shopify. Merchants on the platform grossed over $9 billion in sales on the BFCM weekend alone. Shopify continued to beat earnings estimates and saw their stock rise over 100% from the start of the year. We estimate them having sold over 1.1 million new domain names in ‘23 a 35% rise over the previous year. .store was the 2nd highest selling TLD on the platform behind only .com. 

On the premium names front, the year clearly belonged to .ai. With significant advancements in generative AI tech, risk capital found a new golden goose to go after. We continue to see a sharp rise in AI centric start-ups or tech companies which at their core use AI to solve problems. The perfect storm for .ai to have its moment of glory. As the operator of .tech, we were encouraged to see that its premium names growth continued to rise. In 2023 we sold close to 1000 tiered premium names, a growth of over 20% over ‘22. 

While inflation is receding, there is no guarantee regarding continued economic growth amid the geopolitical tensions between China and the US and two active wars in Europe and Middle East.  
As a counter balance, there is a high expectation of interest rates decline which could fuel higher levels of investments into startups and entrepreneurial ventures of all types. The domain name ecosystem thrives in an environment which is ripe for rampant entrepreneurship and free trade so the macro factors will continue to play a big part. 

We also remain optimistic about the future of domains within the creator ecosystem and believe that market is substantially underserved. Our other two flagship strings .tech and .online also have their independent plans to engage the start-up and solopreneur segments respectively. Overall in ‘24 Radix will continue to remain in investment mode and find ways to build ubiquitous brands which enjoy a high level of awareness and desirability within each of our focused markets.

Simone Catania entered the Internet industry to help launch new gTLDs .srl and .ltda. His marketing an multi-lingual communications skills quickly caught the eye of InterNetX who brought him onboard in 2017 as their Content Marketing Manager. In 2021 Simone was promoted to his current position as Global Content & Communication Manager. 

Simone Catania

In 2023, there have been significant trends and events in the domain industry and overall that have brought transformational shifts in several key areas.  

Among the most relevant trends was the disruption triggered by artificial intelligence and the impressive surge of .ai domains in the primary and aftermarket. The AI revolution is starting to pervade the domain industry, leading to more efficient, smoother management systems. AI tools have begun to provide substantial support in countering cyber threats, facilitating swift detection and resolution, and thus enhancing domain security. As a registrar, the rise of AI and augmented analytics has granted us profound insights and the opportunity to deliver more efficient and personalized services like the AI-based Domain Studio, which advances the domain search by providing broader results and displaying all purchase-relevant data related to the domain.  

Amid the technology advancements, in 2023 the industry maintained a strong focus on combating DNS abuse. The new agreement between the ICANN and the contracted parties marked the zenith of these endeavors in the domain industry.  

The Domain Summit 2023 took place at our headquarters in Regensburg in September and deserves special mention. During this summit, I had the opportunity to deliver a data-driven presentation about domains to a collective of brilliant industry minds.

ICANN78 had the privilege of taking place in Hamburg, Germany, in the very motherland of InterNetX. This event provided an exceptional networking platform, fostering stronger stakeholder relationships. It also cultivated constructive conversations about sector advancements and challenges.  

As we navigate into 2024, we expect the industry landscape to keep changing, bringing new trends, opportunities, and challenges that we aim to capitalize.  

Companies are focusing on employing a variety of TLDs and domain names and proactively safeguarding their online brand names, which often signpost domains under the same brand. The trend of new gTLDs coming to the forefront cannot be ignored. As a domain registrar boasting one of the largest TLD portfolios, InterNetX is geared to fulfill the diverse domain needs businesses seek.  

AI contribution brings its share of opportunities and risks, including automated threats, elevated domain-security risks, and changing customer expectations. Strategic adaptation to tackle these issues, especially automated threats brought by AI, is crucial for the industry. But the increased emphasis on DNS security offers an opportunity to provide tailored services to protect digital assets.  

AutoDNS, our integrated solution for professional domain management, plays a key role in aiding our growth in the fluctuating market. AutoDNS provides efficient operations as a comprehensive tool for domain management and encryption solutions, focusing on simplicity, efficiency, and security. Anticipating changing demands and trends, we enhance the AutoDNS platform continuously with new and updated features.

One thing to look forward to in 2024 in particular is a stronger integration of the largest  domain aftermarket, Sedo MLS, into AutoDNS. This allows users to access domain sales and auctions with ease.

We also reinforce our position as Europe's leading position as an ISP for SMBs. InterNetX, as part of the IONOS Group SE, ensures the delivery of comprehensive, advanced digital solutions.  

We welcome an exciting year ahead, committing ourselves to innovation, customer orientation, enhancing the AutoDNS and strengthening our partnerships. We are confident about harnessing the emerging opportunities and navigating the challenges effectively.

Todd Han's remarkable journey through the domain industry when he started domain registrar Dynadot up from a small home office back in 2002. Todd ran the company single handedly for three years but from those modest beginnings he has since grown Dynadot into a thriving business with over 130 team members and more than 100,000 customers around the world. We profiled Todd in a September 2023 Cover Story.

Todd Han

When I was growing up, the main source of information was the library. If you were lucky, you had a set of encyclopedia volumes at home. But to learn about a new topic, you had to physically drive to a library and check out a book, limiting the speed of learning.

The emergence of the internet marked a pivotal moment, offering unlimited and instant access to the sum total of human knowledge. I still remember the early internet. I would spend countless hours following links to various homemade websites, learning about esoteric topics. It was nirvana for a bookworm like me.

I realized the potential of the internet to revolutionize our world very early on. Being a part of this transformation was important to me, and it was one of the main reasons I started Dynadot. However, the introduction of ChatGPT represents an even more impactful leap forward than the advent of the internet. AI is set to reshape our world in unimaginable ways.

Therefore, the defining trend of 2023 in the domain industry is undoubtedly the rise of AI. The record-breaking .AI expired auctions and the remarkable growth of the .AI zone support this thesis. 
25 years ago, I studied AI at Stanford University, taking classes about neural networks and Bayesian networks. These algorithms could solve some interesting niche problems but were far from general intelligence. Back then, the holy grail of AI research was to develop an algorithm that could pass the Turing test, meaning that someone chatting with the AI could not tell they were not interacting with a human. It is very clear now that ChatGPT 4.0 easily passes the Turing test.

In 2024 there will be a million new AI startups from all over the world. These startups will be in every industry vertical and every market segment. Some will be bootstrapped by one person, and some will have VC backing. There will be AI startups in the gig economy, in the green economy, in the creative economy. Each of these startups will need a domain name. The domain industry can add value by supplying all these startups with excellent domain names.