Company turns to cybersquatting claim after failed purchase attempt.
QuickBooks maker Intuit tried to reclaim the domain name QB.com through a UDRP proceeding after failing to buy it on the open market, a dispute panel has ruled.
The domain was purchased in 2017 by an individual in China for the equivalent of $2.9 million. The buyer selected the name because “QB” corresponds to the pinyin abbreviation for “QianBao,” which means “wallet.” He operated the site as a cryptocurrency exchange for a couple of years and later put the domain up for sale again.
Intuit sought to acquire the domain for $2.5 million. After those negotiations did not result in a sale, the company filed a cybersquatting complaint under the UDRP.
In its complaint, Intuit argued that the respondent’s use of QB.com for a cryptocurrency exchange was unlawful and therefore that the respondent could not have legitimate rights to the domain. The panel found that Intuit relied chiefly on informal government advisories and other low-level guidance that carry little legal force, and that Intuit did not demonstrate those advisories applied to or rendered illegal the respondent’s business activities.
The UDRP panel concluded Intuit’s complaint represented a reverse domain name hijacking attempt: a “Plan B” tactic where a trademark owner turns to dispute resolution after failing to secure a domain through ordinary commercial means. The panel specifically noted Intuit’s unproven claim of illegality and determined the company had not established bad-faith registration or use by the respondent.
The decision, issued in Chinese, includes the panel’s analysis and findings.