How much can you make out of a web domain – and that, in cash? Millions!
Domain names carrying umbrella terms are potential goldmines for obvious reasons. Think about voice.com, insurance.com, finance.com, or movie.com — you name it. Some of these domains have garnered over $30 million in sales.
You can get lucky, too, if you own a web2 or web3 domain that’s “Just Perfect” for a specific niche. Who knows, it could be a piece of real estate so valuable that companies are willing to pay millions just to claim it as their own.
In this post, we’ll share a list of domains that have been sold for whopping sums of money. Again, it’s not an ordinary list, as each of the entries has been thoroughly checked and verified, making sure it changed hands entirely.
What’s So Different About Freename’s List of the Most Expensive Domains?
In the domain business, you need to consider the domain’s true value by excluding other factors such as:
- The value of the business it represents
- The value of the website it’s been associated with
- Is it being sold for cash, or are there other equity components (installments, bonds, etc.) involved?
In addition, we’ve also considered the latest stats, facts, and figures from the most authentic sources.
Based on the above, we’ve refined our previously published list of the most expensive domains to make it more appealing for aspiring domain owners.
We’ve eliminated some of the entries that were not domain-only. This means they reflected the combined value of the domain, the website, and the business sold.
Moreover, we disregarded entries that weren’t all-cash, meaning they’re yet to recover the value they were originally sold for. The real purpose is to showcase the true potential of a web domain.
The Top 10 Most Expensive Domains Names (All-Cash)
Below is the list of the biggest cash sales domains ever reported.
| Rank | Domain Name | Sales Price | Transaction year |
| #1 | Voice.com | $30 million | 2019 |
| #2 | Chat.com | $15.5 million | 2023 |
| #3 | Nfts.com | $15 million | 2022 |
| #4 | Rocket.com | $14 million | 2024 |
| #5 | Sex.com | $13 million | 2010 |
| #6 | Tesla.com | $11 million | 2016 |
| #7 | Connect.com | $10 million | 2022 |
| #8 | Porn.com | $9.5 million | 2007 |
| #9 | Porno.com | $8.88 million | 2015 |
| #10 | Gold.com | $8.515 million | 2024 |
#1: Voice.com – $30 million
On June 18, 2019, Tysons Corner, a data-analytics Software provider company, announced it had sold Voice.com to Block.one, a blockchain software company. This marks the most expensive all-cash domain sales ever. Block.one acquired the domain with the intention of competing with platforms like Facebook.
#2: Chat.com – $15.5 million
Chat.com has been sold three times. It was first sold to the HubSpot founder, Dharmesh Shah, for more than $15.5 million in 2023. Soon, Shah sold it to an unknown buyer. Later, the domain was acquired by ChatGPT in November 2024.
#3: Nfts.com – $15 million
When this domain was sold in 2022, it was the second-biggest public domain sale of all time. Nfts.com was initially launched in 2021, and it didn’t take long to garner such a lucrative bargain.
The deal was brokered by GoDaddy and Domainer.com, but the buyer remains undisclosed. That said, the landing page of Nfts.com says, “Powered by DigitalArtists.com Marketplace.”
#4: Rocket.com – $14 million
Rocket.com was sold for a hefty amount in September 2024, snatching the fourth spot from the previous holder, sex.com. The domain is acquired by a publicly traded company, Rocket Companies, Inc.
This firm has numerous brands, including Rocket Homes, Rocket Loans, Rocket Mortgage, etc., and has a market cap of $33 billion. The domain name truly reflects their potential. All in all, it is the right move by the Inc.
#5: Sex.com – $13 million
Sold for $14 million in 2005 and later, in 2010, for $13 million, the Sex.com domain maintains a unique record for being sold for record-breaking prices twice. Owned by Clover Holdings LTD, this domain currently hosts an adult website.
#6: Tesla.com – $11 million
Did you know that the current owner of tesla.com, Tesla Motors, didn’t even exist when the domain name was registered? That’s true. Tesla.com was registered in 1992. It was acquired by Tesla in 2016 for a whopping $11 million.
#7: Connect.com – $10 million
Connect.com was acquired by HubSpot, its current owner, in 2022. Before that, it was registered under Whois privacy for quite some time.
#8 Porn.com – $9.5 million
This domain was purchased by MXN Ltd for $9.5 million in the first quarter of 2007. At that time, it was one of the most expensive domain acquisitions ever recorded. MXN Ltd is a web media and investment firm affiliated with Downloadpass.com and Pimproll.com.
#9 Porno.com – $8.88 million
The domain name was sold by Rick Schwartz, a popular name in the domain-flipping industry. Rick purchased Porno.com for just $42,000 in 1997. He waited nearly 20 years to get the best value for his domain and eventually succeeded.
#10 Gold.com
JM Bullion, Inc. (JMB) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of A-Mark Precios Metals, Inc. After acquiring Gold.com in March 2024, the leading eCommerce retailer of precious metals now owns the two most important domains in the industry. The other domain is Silver.com.
Reasons Behind Best-Selling Domain Names
While all of the above-mentioned domains represent the mainstream webspace – they all belong to the Web2 space. However, there is a smart combination of strategies hidden behind the success of each.
If you’re a beginner or want to make the most out of your domains, you might want to take a closer look:
- Lucrative Market Sectors: Almost every domain on the list has secured a special place. They’re associated with lucrative market niches, which is why their values have increased exponentially.
- Blocking Competition: Domains like Chat.com, Gold.com, and Nfts.com not only block competition but also safeguard their owners, helping them strengthen their position in the market.
- Keyword Orientation: Each of these domains is short, concise, and purpose-driven. Plus, the fact that they contain the main keyword in their name makes them even more valuable.
- Simplicity: Short and concise domain names are easier to remember. This is why these domains carry so much value for the industry and businesses they represent.
- Long-term Investment: Most of the domains on our list were registered years before attaining their true value. Tesla.com, for instance, was created almost 24 years before it was acquired by Tesla. Similarly, Porno.com reached its optimum point after nearly 20 years.
- Higher Future Value: Domain names like Rocket.com, Voice.com, Chat.com, etc., still carry immense opportunities for profitability.
Why Buy Domain Names for Investment
Investing in domain names is a potentially lucrative opportunity. Here are some noteworthy reasons:
- Passive Income Possibilities: Domain investors can utilize these domains to host advertisements. They can lease their online real estate or make direct sales. Moreover, by owning TLDs, e.g., Freename TLDs, you can create an ongoing passive income stream for yourself.
- Increase in Value: Short and concise domain names carry value appreciation — their face value increases over time. What makes them more valuable is that such domain names are rare, hence a viable investment.
- Domains with Specific Keywords: Domains like porn.com, chat.com, or rocket.com give their owners complete control over strategic keywords relevant to their respective niches. It helps them drive traffic, increase visibility, and run campaigns.
- Marketing and Branding: Marketing managers and executives can add relevant domain names to their portfolios. These domains can be used for running marketing campaigns and launching new products and services. If not, they can use these domains for a broader branding strategy.
- Brand Protection: Purchasing domains that are closely related to your brand name or products can serve as a safeguard against competition and cybersquatting (the practice of registering names similar to well-known brands).
Also Read: What Domain Prices Depend On?
Investing in Web3 Domains: What You Need to Do?
The Web3 space is still growing, providing immense opportunities to cash in. That said, one needs to be vigilant in choosing the right options. Here are some quick tips for extracting benefits from the Web3 marketplace:
- Pay attention to the new and emerging sectors. For example, NFT trading platforms, DeFi services, tokenization, and AI services are in the limelight. Investing in domains that represent these sectors can be beneficial.
- In connection to the above, keep yourself updated with the latest happenings. Every now and then, we see a new blockchain emerging with unique features and technologies. The domains you pick should be compatible with these features.
- Use platforms like Freename.io that offer a plethora of Web3 domains at affordable prices. You can craft a unique and memorable domain name and use it for branding.
- Develop websites and apps on your domain names to offer valuable information or services. It’ll help increase the value of your domain names.
- You can invest in Web3-specific domain extensions. For example, blockchain native extensions appeal to network users, creating a more trustworthy look and feel.
Read More About the Importance of Web3 Domains
Get Your First Domain with Freename
The above list of the most expensive domain names shows that if you own the right domains and preserve them properly, you’re likely to get lucrative profits upon reselling. That said, it’s quite unlikely that you get a traditional domain at affordable prices in order to get higher profits in the future.
On the other hand, the Web3 space offers a pool that’s way bigger than that of the Web2 space. Not only are web3 domains affordable, but they’re permanent and offer robust security features.
If you want to invest in web3 domains, Freename will help you take the necessary steps. The platform offers a large variety of tools and resources to locate, buy, and earn profits from web3 domain names.
Start your journey with Freename Now!
Editor’s Note
We have excluded domain names like Cars.com, Unlock.com, 360.com, LasVegas.com, and others due to the following reasons:
Numerous sites mentioned that 360.com was sold to Qihoo Technologies for $17 million. However, there are no credible sources for this information. Also, the transaction hasn’t been officially confirmed by the buyer or seller.
Moreover, LasVegas.com was sold for $90 million, but it’s not all cash. The payment has been made in installments, with a bigger portion yet to be paid. Similarly, domain names like Cars.com and other excluded names have been sold either with other equity components or as part of the entire business.
