I was looking at the GoDaddy Auctions homepage over the weekend, and I saw something that caught my attention. A large group of blockchain domain names are currently in auction, and they are at the top section of the board for highest bids.
It is not unique that blockchain and cryptocurrency domain names are in auction or have substantial bids though. What is interesting, from my perspective, is that someone had the foresight to register these domain names several years ago (circa 2013) and then let them expire this year as the crypto space has been on fire. Crypto related domain names have been seemingly selling at higher prices and greater volume, so these expiring domain names would appear to be worth more now than ever, yet they expired.
Some of the domain names with substantial bids include:
- BlockchainFinance.com
- BlockchainRegistry
- BlockchainAssets.com
- BlockchainServices.com
- BlockchainNetwork.com
- BlockchainManagement.com
- BlockchainCentral.com
- BlockchainPlatform.com
- BlockchainIT.com
- BlockchainEscrow.com
- BlockchainCo.com
- BlockchainLoans.com
I own about 5 cryptocurrency-related domain names, despite my tendency to shy away from usually short-lived trend domain names. I highly doubt I will be a participant in any of these auctions as the prices are well beyond my comfort level for this type of domain name. I thought it was interesting that someone had the foresight to hand register these domain names five years ago but they expired before the owner could cash in on them.
Perhaps the owner died recently…
I did not do any Whois research on these and have no idea. Sad if true.
the person owns hundreds of blockchain+keyword.com domains. I wonder if they are letting them all go. a lot of them aren’t great.
There appear to be a couple hundred blockchain / coin names in the portfolio. These ones were registered shortly after the first time the price of bitcoin broke $1,000. There was a lot of excitement around Bitcoin at the time.
Interestingly enough, buying these names appears to have been a better investment, than buying bitcoin itself. For the price of buying these 200 blockchain names (200 * $10), they could have only bought 2 bitcoin (currently about $26,000). The top 18 names on the first page of Godaddy auctions have already attracted nearly $45,000 in bids.
Your math is wrong. You neglected renewal fees for each of the 200 for the entire 5 year period. Can’t beat BTC.
BlockCash.com has expired too! And at godaddy auctions.
Worst possible day for this auction, all those suckers already overbid, dont get fooled into this auction, suckers bet
I hope the owner is ok, and just decided to drop them for whatever reason.
Unfortunately, I’ve heard drops of valuable domains usually are due to: illness, death, distress.
Someone I’ve interacted with picked up a very valuable domain last month from the family of a man who died last year. The domain was related to his business for many years. He won’t disclose what he paid for the domain, but he’s selling it now for high five figures (in fact Godaddy appraises it at this)….I’m sure this happens all too often.
As far as the domains here in this auction, they are not premium domains, but they do have value, concomitant with the price surge of crypto and blockchain domains.
She died while walking her dog
Just saw the obituary. So sad: http://www.recordonline.com/article/20170331/obituaries/303319989
“She was recognized for raising over one million dollars in donations for the September 11th Responders Relief Fund.”
That’s sad.
Tragedy. Too young, too sudden. She certainly was a pioneer in registering blockchain names. She had several bitcoin names from 2013 as well. All appear to be dropping on GoDaddy or will be shortly.
I was going after many of them at the auctions but have now determined them to be overpriced. I’ve bowed out.
Whenever a name I like is in pending delete status, I stop by domaininvesting.com to see if Elliot is going to help drive the price through the roof…
Should registrars be allowed to profit like this?
They shouldn’t but who is going to stop them?
Who should get to buy/own domain names that aren’t renewed by registrants, and how would that process work?
Nobody owns the domain per say, it is an action the executor of an estate has to take, this happens about 9 months ago, so maybe they believe domains shoisk be used, and not hoarded who knows
I rarely write about pending delete or expiry auctions unless there is something very interesting.
Really heartbreaking. Jane seemed like such a wonderful human being. & really astute of her to have registered those domains 5 years ago. Her contributions to the community and animal shelter were super.
I believe those domains in total sold for well over 15 K USD. It would be nice if GoDaddy could distribute a small % of the proceeds to her charitable group the No Kill Animal Shelter— but I guess they can’t do that.