--- title: "AI.com Sold for $70 Million: The Stealth Acquisition Playbook" description: "AI.com sold for a record $70 million through a stealth broker and stayed private for months. Learn how stealth acquisitions work and why buyers use them." url: https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/post/ai-com-70-million-stealth-acquisition publisher: Grit Brokerage contact: https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/contact offer: https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/inquiry --- [Sales & acquisitions](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/blog?topic=sales-and-acquisitions) # AI.com Sold for $70 Million: The Stealth Acquisition Playbook AI.com sold for $70 million, the largest domain sale on record, to the owners of Crypto.com. The deal closed in April 2025 and became public on February 6, 2026. DNJournal reports a broker who specializes in stealth acquisitions represented the buyer. Anonymity protects the buyer from an inflated price. By Grit BrokerageOct 7, 20264 min read AI.com is the largest domain sale ever recorded. It is also a clear case of how a stealth acquisition works. We were not part of this deal. We are writing about it because the method is one that buyers of any size can use. ## Who bought AI.com and how much did it cost? The owners of Crypto.com bought AI.com for $70 million, according to DNJournal. The Financial Times broke the story. On Friday, February 6, 2026, Crypto.com co-founder and CEO Kris Marszalek announced that his company was the buyer. He said it would launch a new business on the domain with a Super Bowl commercial two days later. DNJournal reports that the seller originally bought the name because his own initials were A.I., not because of artificial intelligence. Larry Fischer brokered the sale for the seller. ## What was the previous record domain sale? Voice.com, at $30 million in 2019. DNJournal says the AI.com price is more than double that. DNJournal’s year-to-date chart for 2026 lists AI.com at number one, ahead of Club.com at $10 million. Rank Domain Price Year reported 1 AI.com $70,000,000 2026 (closed April 2025) Previous record Voice.com $30,000,000 2019 ## Why did the buyer use a stealth broker? Public reports do not state the buyer’s reasons. DNJournal does report that John Mauriello of DomainAssets.com represented the buyer. It describes him as a broker who specializes in stealth acquisitions and says he also helped Marszalek acquire XBT.com. Here is why buyers generally choose this route. This is our view as brokers, not a claim about this deal. - **The owner cannot see the buyer.** A name like Crypto.com tells a seller that money is no object. That fact alone can raise an asking price. - **Rumors stay out.** News that a company wants a name can reach competitors and trademark holders. - **The buyer keeps the option to walk away.** Without a name attached, the buyer can drop out of talks with no public record. ## Why was the sale kept quiet for almost a year? DNJournal says the deal closed in April 2025. The public learned the buyer and price on February 6, 2026. DNJournal did not give a reason. DNJournal also noted in July 2026 that most of the biggest sales are under non-disclosure agreements. Silence has a practical use. A buyer that keeps a deal quiet until it is ready to launch protects its plans. See [NDA sale](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/nda-sale) and [reported sale](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/reported-sale) for how the industry tracks deals that are private. ## How does a stealth acquisition work? A [stealth acquisition](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/stealth-acquisition) means a broker approaches the owner for you, without naming you. The [buy-side broker](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/buy-side-broker) finds the owner, makes contact, learns what the owner wants and negotiates. The steps below are the general pattern. 1. **Set a budget and a walk-away number** before any contact. 2. **Sign a written agreement** with the broker that says what they may and may not disclose. 3. **Find the real owner.** Public records are often hidden, so researchers trace the owner another way. 4. **Make anonymous contact.** The broker introduces the inquiry without naming the buyer. 5. **Negotiate in steps.** The first offer rarely settles it. 6. **Close through a third-party escrow service.** The buyer’s money is held until the name transfers. See our guide to [domain escrow](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/domain-escrow). 7. **Keep it quiet** until the buyer is ready to go public, if the contract says so. Seller-side brokers use the same discipline. A [sell-side broker](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/sell-side-broker) represents the owner and tries to get the best price. DNJournal names a broker on each side of the AI.com deal. ## What does a stealth broker do that a buyer cannot? A broker does three things that are hard to do alone. First, the broker finds the person who really owns the name. Second, the broker speaks to owners daily and knows what a fair deal looks like. Third, the broker keeps the buyer’s identity out of the conversation. Task Buyer alone With a stealth broker Find the owner Hidden records can stall the search Researchers trace the owner First contact Owner sees who is asking Owner sees only the broker Price talks Emotion can drive offers A neutral party negotiates Closing Easy to get wrong Third-party escrow holds the money A broker is not magic. Some owners will not sell at any price. A good broker tells you that early, so you do not spend months on a dead end. ## How can a smaller company run the same playbook? Use the same steps with a smaller budget, and expect a smaller name. Set a firm limit and stay patient. You do not need $70 million. You need a name worth the price, a clear limit and someone who does this work every day. Our post on [why you should use a domain brokerage](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/post/why-you-should-use-a-domain-brokerage) explains the case. A related read: our guide on [how to buy a domain that is taken](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/how-to-buy-a-domain-that-is-taken) covers the do-it-yourself route, and where it goes wrong. ## Next step Our firm runs a stealth acquisition service. A broker finds the owner, reaches out for you without revealing who you are, and negotiates the best price we can. Every purchase closes through a third-party escrow company. Read the details at [buying domains](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/buying-domains), or [start a conversation](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/contact?interest=buy). ## Questions this post answers ### Who bought AI.com and how much did it cost? DNJournal reports that the owners of Crypto.com bought AI.com for $70 million. Crypto.com co-founder and CEO Kris Marszalek announced on February 6, 2026 that his company was the buyer and was launching a new AI business on the domain. ### What was the previous record domain sale? The previous record was Voice.com at $30 million in 2019, according to DNJournal. The AI.com price is more than double that figure. DNJournal called it the biggest domain name sale ever recorded. ### Why did the buyer use a stealth broker? Public reporting does not give the buyer's reasons. In general, buyers use stealth brokers so the seller does not learn who is asking. A seller who sees a famous name or a rich buyer will often raise the price. ### Why was the sale kept quiet for almost a year? DNJournal says the deal closed in April 2025, and the buyer and price were revealed in February 2026. DNJournal did not state the reason. Large buyers often stay quiet until their product launches, and many big sales are covered by non-disclosure agreements. ### Can a smaller company use the same approach? Yes, at a smaller scale. A broker approaches the owner without naming you, learns what the owner wants, negotiates a price and closes through escrow. The method works for a $5,000 name as well as a seven-figure one. Price and terms differ, but the steps do not. ## Sources 1. [DNJournal: AI.com Sold for $70 Million in Biggest Domain Name Sale Ever Recorded (Feb 6, 2026)](https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2026/posts/0206-2.htm) 2. [TechRadar: Biggest ever website domain deal sees AI.com bought by Crypto.com founder (Feb 9, 2026)](https://www.techradar.com/pro/biggest-ever-website-domain-deal-sees-ai-com-bought-by-crypto-com-founder) 3. [DNJournal: 2026 YTD Top 100 Domain Sales Chart](https://www.dnjournal.com/ytd-sales-charts.htm) ## Terms in this post - [Non-disclosure agreement](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/nda) - [Stealth acquisition](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/stealth-acquisition) - [Domain brokerage](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/domain-brokerage) - [Sell-side broker](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/sell-side-broker) - [Buy-side broker](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/buy-side-broker) - [Reported sale](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/reported-sale) - [Asking price](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/asking-price) - [DNJournal](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/dnjournal) ## Keep reading - [How to Buy a Domain Name That Someone Already OwnsYou buy a taken domain from its current owner, not from a registrar. Check if it is listed for sale, find the owner or their broker, make a short offer, agree on a price, and close through third-party escrow. A buy-side broker can do the outreach quietly for you.](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/how-to-buy-a-domain-that-is-taken) - [How Domain Escrow Works (and Why Every Deal Should Use It)Domain escrow means a neutral third party holds the buyer's money until the domain is transferred to the buyer. The buyer pays the escrow agent, the seller moves the domain, the buyer confirms, and then the agent pays the seller. Neither side has to trust the other with money or the name.](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/domain-escrow) - [Why You Should Use a Domain BrokerageThis Grit Brokerage podcast episode highlights the tactics and specialties that set the team apart in the domain industry. The team describes its resilience and willingness to solve problems, and says it aims to be easy to contact and easy to work with.](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/post/why-you-should-use-a-domain-brokerage) - [Domain Sale Scams: How to Spot Fake Buyers, Appraisal Scams, and Fake EscrowIn a domain appraisal scam, a fake buyer says they will pay the appraised value, then asks you to buy an appraisal from a service they name. The buyer owns that service. You pay a fee and never hear from them again. A real buyer makes an offer and does not ask you to pay for anything first.](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/domain-sale-scams) - [How to Sell a Domain Name: A Broker's Step-by-Step GuideTo sell a domain name, set a realistic price from comparable sales, then reach buyers through a marketplace, a broker, or direct outreach. Agree on a price, close through a third-party escrow service, transfer the name to the buyer's registrar account, and collect payment once the transfer is verified.](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/how-to-sell-a-domain-name) - [12 Case Studies - Founders Discuss How and Why they Acquired a Better Domain Name for their BrandThis post collects public interviews with founders and executives who acquired a better domain for their brand. Cases include DataRecovery.com for $1,660,000, Ring.com for $1,000,000 in 2016 and Voice.com for $30,000,000 in 2019. Grit Brokerage says the companies it sold premium domains to call the move one of their best decisions.](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/post/12-case-studies-founders-discuss-how-and-why-they-acquired-a-better-domain-name-for-their-brand) ## Buying or selling a domain? Call, text or email. Responsiveness is our trademark, and a broker answers, not a form robot. [Talk to a broker](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/contact) [Call (442) 500-GRIT](tel:+1-442-500-4748)