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Meet man who bought AI.com domain for Rs 300 and sold it for Rs 6,340,000,000; He is not from US, China, or India; Know about his tech career Technology News
Samira Vishwas | February 14, 2026 8:24 PM CST

Ai.com Domain Sale Price: In the early days of the internet, buying a website name did not seem very important. Domain names were cheap, and most people did not understand how valuable they could become in the future. In 1993, a 10-year-old boy named Arsyan Ismail bought a simple domain name for just Rs 300.

At that time, it felt like a small and fun purchase. More than 30 years later, that same domain has turned into a huge deal worth $70 million, which is around Rs 634 crore. His childhood decision has now become one of the biggest digital success stories linked to the artificial intelligence boom.

AI.com Domain: Bought using mother’s credit card

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In 1993, a 10-year-old boy from Malaysia named Arsyan Ismail registered the domain AI.com. He is said to have used his mother’s credit card to pay about $100 at that time, which was roughly Rs 300, according to Fintech Malaysia. He did not buy it for business. He simply liked the name because the letters “AI” were the same as his own initials. (Also Read: India AI Impact Summit 2026: Google, Nvidia, and Anthropic CEOs to Join; How to make registration; Check dates, venue, timings, fees, and event timeline)

The story became popular again when the domain was relaunched during Super Bowl LX. Crypto.com used it for a new platform focused on agentic AI. The domain was first registered on May 4, 1993, just five days after the World Wide Web became public. Online credit card payments were officially approved later in 1996.

Today, in the 2020s, artificial intelligence has become a major part of technology. From chatbots to smart assistants and advanced software, AI is now used almost everywhere.

AI.com Domain sold to CEO Kris Marszalek

In April 2025, Ismail sold the domain to Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek for $70 million, which is around Rs 634 crore. Reports say the full payment was made in cryptocurrency. Many media reports have confirmed this amount, making it the most expensive domain name sale ever made public. Before this, the record was set in 2010 when CarInsurance.com was sold for $49.7 million.

Arsyan Ismail early supporter of Bitcoin and digital assets

Ismail has worked in Malaysia’s tech industry for many years. He was involved in early social networking projects and worked with companies like Nuffnang and Friendster. Later, he started his own company called 1337 Tech. He also supported Bitcoin and other digital assets at an early stage. When he decided to sell the domain in 2025, reports say he received offers close to $100 million. However, he agreed to sell it for $70 million. After the deal, he advised people not to “over-negotiate with a billionaire.” (Also Read: UIDAI’s new Aadhaar app features: How to change name, mobile number and home address without sharing photocopies)

Arsyan Ismail’s career journey in Malaysia’s tech Industry

According to his LinkedIn profile, Ismail started his career as a Senior Programmer at Nuffnang from 2005 to 2006. He then worked as a Software Engineer at Packet One Networks between 2006 and 2008. From 2008 to 2010, he was a Senior Web Developer at Friendster, and later joined YTL Communications as an Application Developer from 2010 to 2012. His profile also shows that he has been working independently. with OpenAI since January 2025.


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