The total market value exceeds 8 trillion:two-letter domain names have made 14 listed companies in China!

The hottest term in recent times has undoubtedly been "IPO" (Initial Public Offering). From Netease and JD.com listing in Hong Kong to companies like Li Auto, KE Holdings, Lufax, Vipshop, ZTO Express, Ctrip, and Bilibili preparing to go public, the news of IPOs keeps pouring in.

As publicly traded companies, they all have one thing in common: they use premium domain names. Today, let's take a look at the Chinese companies that have opted for two-letter domain names!

1. Tencent — QQ.com

Tencent is one of China's largest internet service providers and one of the most user-centric internet companies in China. They acquired the two-letter domain QQ.com for their Tencent website and also secured QQ.com.cn. Their holding company, WE Financial, also acquired the two-letter domain WE.com, among others. Tencent's current market value is 4.85 trillion Hong Kong dollars.

2. Xiaomi — MI.com

In 2013, Xiaomi acquired the domain MI.com for $3.6 million to promote Xiaomi products globally. Xiaomi also owns various domain names related to their brands. Xiaomi's current market value is 369.813 billion Hong Kong dollars.

3. YY Live — YY.com

YY Live, a part of Huanju Times, is a pioneer in China's online video streaming industry. Their domain name is YY.com, one of the best domains in China. They also spent $10 million to acquire the domain YY.tv. Huanju Times' current market value is $6.511 billion.

4. Qihoo 360 — SO.com

Qihoo 360, founded by Zhou Hongyi in September 2005, is a free network security platform known for 360 antivirus. In 2012, they invested heavily to acquire SO.com, along with related brand domains such as sou.com/.cn. In early 2015, they spent $100 million to bring 360.com into their fold. Qihoo 360's current market value is 128.382 billion yuan.

5. iQiyi — IQ.com

Founded in 2010 and owned by Baidu, iQiyi is one of China's leading video streaming websites. In 2014, they acquired the two-letter domains qy.com and qy.net. In February of the same year, they spent eight figures to acquire the stock code domain IQ.com for their official website. iQiyi went public on the NASDAQ in March 2018 and has a current market value of $14.13 billion.

6. KE Holdings — KE.com

KE Holdings, also known as Beike, is a real estate platform specializing in second-hand housing and rental services. In 2018, they spent eight figures to acquire the premium two-letter domain KE.com and launched their website. On August 13, 2020, KE Holdings went public on the New York Stock Exchange and has a current market value of $37.207 billion.

7. JD.com — JD.com

Founded by Liu Qiangdong in June 1998, JD.com is one of China's leading e-commerce companies. In 2013, JD.com spent $30 million to acquire the two-letter domain "京东" (JD.com) and replaced their previous domain, 360buy.com. JD.com conducted a secondary listing in Hong Kong in June 2020 and currently has a market value of 7.55799 trillion Hong Kong dollars.

8. Tongcheng-Elong — LY.com

Tongcheng-Elong, established in 2004, is a leading leisure travel online service provider in China. In January 2014, they acquired the two-letter domain LY.com, replacing their previous domain, 17u.cn. The transaction was reported to be worth tens of millions. Tongcheng-Elong currently has a market value of 30.915 billion Hong Kong dollars.

9. Spring Airlines — CH.com

Spring Airlines is the first Chinese private capital-operated low-cost airline and is known for its low-cost services. In 2014, they spent millions to acquire the two-letter domain CH.com, replacing their previous domain, China-sss.com. Spring Airlines currently has a market value of 40.746 billion yuan.

10. XD.com — XD.com

XD.com, founded in 2011, is a well-known Chinese game company and one of the top 100 internet companies in China. Their website uses the premium two-letter domain XD.com, which directly reflects their brand. XD.com has a market value of 3.889 billion Hong Kong dollars.

11. KK Game — KK.com

KK Game, formerly known as Baidu Games, changed its name in May 2017. Their official website domain, KK.com, was heavily invested in by Baidu in 2017. It's worth noting that KK.com was reportedly acquired by a Chinese buyer in November 2013 for a high price, rumored to be as much as $2.4 million. Baidu currently has a market value of $40.236 billion.

12. Excellent Education — ZY.com

Excellent Education, founded in 1997, is a leading provider of extracurricular education for primary and secondary school students in China. Their official website uses the two-letter domain ZY.com, representing "卓越" (Excellent). Excellent Education has a market value of 2.796 billion Hong Kong dollars.

13. Comix Group — QX.com

Comix Group, founded in 1991, is one of the most influential and largest companies in China's office supplies industry. In 2017, they spent eight figures to acquire the pinyin two-letter domain QX.com, replacing their old domain, comix.com, as the official website for Comix Group. The company went public on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2009 and currently has a market value of 12.038 billion yuan.

14. Jiuzhou Tong Pharmaceutical Group — JK.com

Jiuzhou Tong Pharmaceutical Group, founded in 1985, is a pharmaceutical wholesaler, logistics distributor, retail chain, and e-commerce core business enterprise in China. In 2019, they acquired the pinyin two-letter domain JK.com for their official website, Health998. The company went public on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2010 and currently has a market value of 33.235 billion yuan.

In the mobile internet era, a brand is a company's most essential intangible asset, and a domain name is the first step in establishing that brand. Domain names have become a crucial "resource battlefield" for large enterprises. These listed companies have all chosen to use two-letter .com domain names. In addition to these already listed companies, many well-established companies also hold two-letter .com domain names, such as XF.com for Xianfeng Games, LU.com for Lufax, GG.com for Brother Games, and more.

Why do these companies prefer two-letter .com domain names? It's because there are only 676 such domain names globally, making them short, memorable, and highly sought-after assets. Two-letter .com domains are considered the pinnacle of domain names, and they have a build rate of over 60%, with only a few remaining in circulation. Holding a two-letter .com domain is like having a premium golden signboard. They are not only short and memorable but also easy to promote, showcasing a company

's strength and earning the trust of more users. In summary, two-letter .com domains are essential for the success of businesses!