As we celebrate our 20th anniversary in the domain industry, we take a moment to reflect on the partnerships that have shaped our journey. One notable partner is XYZ Registry, a company that has significantly impacted the digital landscape over the past decade. We had the pleasure of speaking with Daniel Negari, CEO of XYZ Registry, who shared insights into their journey, industry trends, and success stories that have defined their growth.
XYZ Registry: a decade of innovation
Congratulations on completing 10 years! Can you tell us about the journey of XYZ Registry over the past decade?
“Thank you! I founded XYZ Registry with a vision to revolutionize the internet by introducing .xyz, a domain ending designed to create competition and choice. We officially launched .xyz on June 2nd, 2014. Over the past decade, we’ve reshaped the digital landscape, providing innovative domain name options that empower the next generation of internet users. Today, XYZ Registry has over 5 million domains under management, with .xyz alone accounting for over 1% of all domains globally, highlighting our substantial impact.
We’re proud to be among the top three new generic top-level domain (gTLD) registries, responsible for approximately 5-7% of all new domains created daily. This achievement reflects our commitment to offering fresh, creative domain names embraced by a diverse community, including tech startups, Fortune 500 companies, creative professionals, educational institutions, small businesses, and community organizations.
To further our mission of offering competition and choice to users worldwide, we’ve strategically acquired and now operate 35 different domain extensions. XYZ is at the forefront of technological innovation, offering a wide range of domain options such as .cars, .car, and .auto, .college, .rent, .security, .protection, .theatre, .storage, .baby, .monster, .beauty, .hair, .skin, .makeup, .quest, .homes, .autos, .motorcycles, .boats, .yachts, .tickets, .game, .guitars, .audio, .christmas, .diet, .flowers, .hosting, .pics, .mom, .lol, .lat, and .CEO.”
Adapting to industry trends
What trends are you currently seeing in the domain industry, and how is XYZ Registry adapting to these trends? For example, Web3?
“I’ve been deeply involved in cryptocurrency and blockchain from the early days and have witnessed the blockchain community’s growing adoption of new gTLDs like .xyz, particularly in 2021. We’re entering a period where new domain endings such as .xyz are becoming second nature to young professionals. For developers of cutting-edge technology, leveraging the freedom that new domains like .xyz offer is a natural fit.
In 2021, Block.xyz became the new online home for Block, Inc., signaling the company’s evolution beyond its original products and continued growth in the financial services sector. Yuga Labs chose Otherside.xyz for its gaming metaverse, and Randi Zuckerberg’s TheHug.xyz, a social marketplace, successfully raised $5 million. Prominent figures like DJ and Web3 enthusiast Steve Aoki (a0k1verse.xyz) and Grammy-nominated rapper Snoop Dogg (INDO.xyz, SnoopPassport.xyz) are also utilizing .xyz for their personal brands.
In further support of the blockchain community, XYZ Registry launched Eth.xyz. This service allows .eth name holders to convert their ENS profiles into shareable URLs, making it easier to display and share wallet and profile information online. This initiative aligns with XYZ’s vision of enhancing internet usability and accessibility.
The .xyz domain ending is universal, serving entities globally. It is favored by pioneers in blockchain, Web3, and AI, establishing .xyz as a top choice for domain names in the innovation economy. This is reflected in the increasing trend of “AI” keyword registrations in .xyz domains.”
Success stories and innovative uses
Can you share some examples of innovative uses of domain extensions that have helped businesses stand out online?
“At the core of our success is the vibrant .xyz community, a testament to the limitless possibilities and forward-thinking spirit that .xyz represents. Futuristic companies, shaping both the present and the future, have chosen .xyz for the branding opportunities. For example, Skype co-founders Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis use Starship.xyz for their autonomous robot delivery service. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey rebranded Square Inc. and Square Crypto to Block.xyz and Spiral.xyz, respectively. Google’s parent company Alphabet can be found at ABC.xyz. Kevin Rose, one of Bloomberg’s “Top 25 Angel Investors,” launched an NFT community on Proof.xyz.
AI innovators are also using .xyz to push the boundaries of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Slingshot.xyz is a startup striving to increase global access to mental healthcare, while FractionAI.xyz focuses on improving AI projects.
Entrepreneurs and small businesses have established a digital presence and launched innovative products and services globally with .xyz. Tech entrepreneur Ryan Junee shares his passions on Ryan.xyz, and British clothing brand Sundays.xyz has also thrived online.
In the decentralized gaming sector, Sandbox.Game is the home of The Sandbox, a platform empowering users to create, own, and monetize gaming experiences through blockchain technology. Anywyse.Audio serves as the online hub for Anywyse, an innovative learning platform co-founded by Julien Jukema, a University of Amsterdam alumnus, and Lisa Jukema, a former Tesla manager.
These examples highlight how XYZ’s domain extensions encourage innovation and provide a versatile platform for a wide range of ventures. Whether it’s a tech giant, a pioneering AI startup, or a small business, XYZ’s domain offerings continue to support and enhance the digital presence of diverse enterprises, reinforcing our commitment to driving forward-thinking solutions in the digital age.”
