Crypto.com’s $70 Million Acquisition of AI.com: Domain Strategy and Business Expansion

On February 6, 2026, Crypto.com shocked the industry with its $70 million acquisition of AI.com. This deal, facilitated by Larry Fischer, set a global record for domain name transactions and was highly innovative, using digital assets for payment. The acquisition was actually completed in April 2026. Crypto.com plans to launch a new AI business using this domain and promote it during the Super Bowl, officially entering the artificial intelligence field.

This acquisition is not an isolated case. Crypto.com co-founder and CEO Kris Marszalek also acquired the og.com domain around the same time. The specific price was not disclosed, but it is speculated to be much lower than AI.com, possibly part of a bundled acquisition. Currently, og.com is already in use as the official website of its independent prediction market platform, OG. This platform launched in the US in February 2026, focusing on sports event contract trading and operating compliantly through the acquired CFTC-registered entity CDNA, helping it seize the opportunity in the prediction market boom.

Crypto.com’s domain strategy began with a pivotal leap in 2018. At that time, the company was called Monaco, a cryptocurrency credit card company. In June 2018, Monaco acquired the Crypto.com domain, registered in 1993, from University of Pennsylvania professor Matt Blaze for $12 million in cash—the latter having refused to sell for years. Following the acquisition, Monaco officially changed its name to Crypto.com, quickly increasing brand recognition thanks to the domain’s high industry alignment, and gradually expanding from a payment tool into a full-chain cryptocurrency ecosystem platform.

In addition to its domain strategy, Crypto.com’s brand exposure strategy was equally significant. In November 2021, it reached an agreement with AEG to acquire the 20-year naming rights to the Staples Center for $700 million in cash, payable in installments. The agreement officially took effect in December 2021 during the Christmas sales event, and will run until 2041. This iconic Los Angeles arena, home to multiple teams including the Lakers and Clippers, and hosting events such as the Grammys, underwent a complete rebranding by June 2022, significantly enhancing its global brand influence.

Its expansion into the sports sector doesn’t stop there. Since 2021, Crypto.com has become the official cryptocurrency platform for the NBA, signed contracts with stars like Curry to launch co-branded NFTs, and ventured into sponsoring the UFC and the World Cup, building a global sports marketing system.

From acquiring domain names to reshape its brand in 2018, to securing arena naming rights in 2021, and then acquiring AI.com and og.com in 2026 to expand into new areas, every step Crypto.com takes revolves around brand upgrading and business expansion. Now, it has grown into a cryptocurrency giant with 150 million users and projected revenue of $15 billion by 2024. This dual domain acquisition marks the beginning of a new phase of “crypto + AI + prediction markets,” and it is expected to continue its expansion in more sectors in the future.