What does Unstoppable Domains know regarding real domain names?

Its communications suggest not that much.

Lately, Unstoppable Domains has been making a lot of announcements regarding partnering with firms to apply for top level domains through ICANN.

The firm right now peddles alt-root blockchain-based domain names to consumers. It has changed its marketing message for the times, pitching them as a backlash against censoring, then riding the wave of NFT values, and so on.

Now, I think the firm has come to the realization that the real money will be in getting domains that actually work for websites and email, or at least pre-selling domains that might have this capability in the future. So it has disclosed deals for real top level domains for .clay, .raiin, .secret, and many others.

Given the number of announcements it has made regarding applying for fresh top level domains, you’d think the firm knows a lot regarding real domain names. Its communications suggest otherwise.

I noticed something odd in its press releases regarding these partnerships, for example. It kept referring to the next round of ICANN fresh TLDs as the “six-year registration program”. There’s no such thing for fresh TLDs. I assume the firm was referring to the .com contract duration. Does Unstoppable have anyone with experience for ICANN top level domains at the firm?

Then, a few days back, the firm’s COO published a long article on Forbes titled “The Evolution Of Domain Names: From Million Dollar .Com To Web3 To Onchain.” [Unstoppable Domains first edited the post and then removed it. The original post is here, and the updated one ahead of deletion is here.]

Now, I get it. Publishing on Forbes is all regarding getting eyeballs and building credibility. But to build credibility for your domain name expertise, you really need to get the facts right.

Kevin Murphy of Domain Incite tweeted a link to the article with the note:

How can a firm purporting to sell domains not know what a TLD is? And not understand the difference between the sale of a domain name and the sale of an existing multi-million dollar business? Genuinely shocking.

The article originally stated:

Cars.com – Driving the Competition
This top-level domain (TLD) was purchased by Gannett Co. in 2014 for a noted $872,000,000.

Not only did the article refer to cars.com as a top level domain, but it suggests the domain itself was purchased for $872 million. It originally continued:

While this astronomical figure seems a trifle excessive at a glance (to say the least), we need to put into context the size of the global automobile market, and the value it confers upon its owner. In fact, the fresh TLD [sic] didn’t take long for the fresh owners to maximize its potential and make it the biggest website for buying and selling cars in the USA. As stated by the Cars.com annual note, the business generated $689m in revenue in 2023 alone, perhaps justifying the extraordinary investment in the domain.

It continues by listing other businesses that sold and suggesting they were pure domain sales.

Sigh.

Unstoppable Domains updated the article following Kevin’s tweet to remove the top-level domain references, but the rest remains.

It would be bad enough if that was all that was wrong with the article. But the second paragraph states:

Consider the case of a modest business owner in the early 2000s who had the foresight to register a generic domain like “books.com” or “travel.com”.

Sure would be cool if these domains were available to register in the early 2000s!

And:

Interestingly, .com domain prices have fallen over the last decade, with the big names by now bought or parked, and few valuable options hitting the market.

Um, prices have gone up since big names are all “bought or parked,” and few domains are hitting the market.

There’s also a lot of questionable propaganda in the post, such as stating that:

Given Austin’s reputation for innovation, it was no surprise that it was the first major U.S. city to launch its own onchain domain name, .austin, in March 2024

The City of Austin did not launch the alt-root .austin domain. Unstoppable Domains did, and signed up the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce to support it.

And:

Or consider a town using a city-specific Web3 domain to create a community platform where residents can vote on local issues, access municipal services, and even participate in local cryptocurrency initiatives.

Do you mean like what a website does?

And again, while I understand the goal of Forbes posts, this inclusion makes the article look silly:

The launch of nvivida.com has significantly impacted NVIDIA’s brand by reinforcing its position as a leader in the technology and AI sectors. This dedicated domain serves as a comprehensive hub for all things NVIDIA, offering a centralized platform for news, product information, and innovations. It enhances brand visibility and accessibility, providing a seamless user experience for clients, developers, and stakeholders. By consolidating its online presence under a memorable and distinct domain, NVIDIA strengthens its digital identity, fosters community engagement, and underscores its commitment to advancing cutting-edge technology. This strategic move not only boosts brand recognition but also aligns with NVIDIA’s vision of driving technological progress and innovation.

We want to show up for searches of NVIDIA!

Perhaps I’ve become curmudgeonly, but this isn’t a good look for a firm that professes to be working on lots of fresh top level domain applications.