Crypto.com CEO acquires AI.com in record-breaking domain deal

Crypto

• Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek launches AI agent platform under AI.com domain
• Marszalek bought AI.com for $70M, one of the most expensive domains ever.
• AI.com will let users create secure personal AI agents for various tasks

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Kris Marszalek, the co-founder and chief executive of Crypto.com, is turning his attention to artificial intelligence, and he is doing so with a characteristically bold opening move. Marszalek has launched a new AI agent platform under the name AI.com, using a domain he reportedly purchased for $70 million.

According to the company, the deal is believed to be the single largest domain name purchase ever disclosed. While that claim is difficult to verify, the price puts AI.com among the most expensive domains on record. By comparison, Cars.com has long been cited as the most valuable domain historically after financial filings in 2014 valued it as an intangible asset at $872.3 million.

The Financial Times confirmed the $70 million figure, citing the broker involved in the sale. The domain had previously been listed for $100 million in March 2025, suggesting Marszalek secured it at a discount. He previously pulled off a similar branding coup when Crypto.com acquired its own domain, reportedly for between $5 million and $10 million, years before the crypto exchange became a global name.

According to a press release, AI.com will allow users to create a private, personal AI agent designed to act on their behalf. These agents are intended to handle a wide range of tasks, including sending messages, building projects, trading stocks, and even updating dating profiles. The company says each agent will run in a dedicated secure environment, with user data encrypted using individual keys.

Marszalek framed the launch as part of a broader shift in how artificial intelligence is used. “We are at a fundamental shift in AI’s evolution as we rapidly move beyond basic chats to AI agents actually getting things done for humans,” he said. He described a long-term vision of a decentralised network of billions of agents that continuously improve by sharing capabilities, accelerating progress towards artificial general intelligence.

The AI.com website currently shows little more than a landing page and a countdown clock, with a full launch scheduled for Sunday following a Super Bowl commercial. Marszalek will serve as CEO of both Crypto.com and AI.com, signalling that the new venture is closely tied to his existing business interests.

Crypto.com’s history suggests that high-profile marketing will play a central role. In 2021, the company struck a $700 million multi-decade deal to rename Los Angeles’ Staples Center as the Crypto.com Arena, a move that instantly put the brand on the global map. Marszalek appears to believe that owning AI.com can have a similar effect in the AI sector.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Marszalek acknowledged the competitive landscape ahead. “When we started Crypto.com there were around a thousand different exchanges, and we somehow managed to make it work,” he said. “We will make this work one way or another.”

He also noted the symbolic appeal of owning both Crypto.com and AI.com, two domains representing foundational technology categories. Despite reportedly receiving interest from potential buyers, Marszalek believes AI.com will be key to building credibility and trust as the company attempts to carve out a place in the crowded AI agent market.