Kris Marszalek, co-founder and CEO of Crypto.com, has made headlines by acquiring the highly sought-after AI.com domain for approximately $70 million in cryptocurrency. This strategic move aims to lay the groundwork for a consumer AI platform under the new brand. Marszalek shared the news on a social media platform, revealing that the domain purchase occurred in April 2025, marking a significant step in his ongoing efforts to build a robust team around the project.
Originally listed for sale at an eye-popping $100 million in March 2025, the acquisition price of $70 million positions it as one of the largest domain transactions ever recorded. The domain’s seller was Arsyan Ismail, and the deal surpasses previous landmark sales, including CarInsurance.com for $49.7 million in 2010 and OpenAI’s estimated $15.5 million purchase of Chat.com in late 2024. Although Cars.com was reported as an intangible asset valued at $872.3 million during its 2014 acquisition, that figure was part of a larger overall deal.
Marszalek has announced plans to serve as CEO for both Crypto.com and AI.com. The upcoming platform is set to officially debut following a commercial during Super Bowl LX, which will introduce a service allowing users to create personalized AI agents. These agents will have the capability to send messages, perform actions across various applications, trade stocks, and assist in project development. Importantly, user data will be protected through individual encryption keys.
In a recent press release, Marszalek highlighted the “fundamental shift” in the evolution of AI, asserting that the industry is moving beyond mere chat interactions to developing AI agents that can effectively execute tasks on behalf of users.
This acquisition aligns with Marszalek’s established pattern of investing heavily in impactful brands. Crypto.com, which started as Monaco in 2016, previously secured its domain for an estimated $5 to $10 million. The exchange later made headlines with a $700 million deal to rename Los Angeles’s Staples Center to Crypto.com Arena and a $100 million advertising campaign featuring actor Matt Damon.
The timing of the AI.com launch is noteworthy, arriving just days after Crypto.com launched a standalone app called OG, focused on prediction markets, coinciding with Super Bowl promotions. With a reported user base of over 150 million and an annual revenue of about $1.5 billion, Crypto.com remains a major player in the crypto exchange market.
Marszalek also expressed confidence in the AI.com domain’s value, sharing that he has received numerous lucrative offers but intends to retain ownership. “When we started Crypto.com, there were around a thousand different exchanges, and we somehow managed to make it work,” he noted, promising to find a way to ensure the success of the new venture.
