.ai domain name transactions hit a record high! Q2 transaction volume increased 2.7 times! Average price exceeded .com.

Recently, a well-known overseas domain name trading and hosting platform released its Q2 2026 "Domain Investment Index" report, revealing a set of data that has attracted industry attention:

In Q2 2026, the transaction volume of .ai domain names reached $37.7 million, a record high, representing an increase of approximately 270% compared to the previous quarter.

This growth rate exceeded the combined growth of other major country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) during the same period, making .ai one of the most sought-after suffixes in the current domain name investment market.

More notably, the price of high-quality .ai domain names has surpassed that of comparable .com domain names for the first time.

Data shows that the average transaction price of .ai domain names composed of complete English words reached approximately $535,000 this quarter, while the average price of similar .com domain names was approximately $529,000. This marks the first time that .ai domain names have surpassed .com domains in this key indicator.

The average price of .com domains also surged this quarter, reaching a record high, up approximately 31% from the previous quarter and surpassing the market peak since 2021. However, the growth rate of .ai domains was even more rapid.

.ai transaction volume expanded rapidly, becoming the core of domain market growth.

In the second quarter of 2026, the total transaction volume of the global domain trading market reached approximately $160 million, a year-on-year increase of 25%.

Of which: .com domain transaction volume: approximately $86 million; .ai domain transaction volume: approximately $37.7 million; .ai transaction volume increased by approximately 270% quarter-on-quarter.

Compared to the first quarter, the gap in transaction volume between .com and .ai is narrowing significantly.

Data shows that the difference in transaction volume between the two was approximately $79 million in the first quarter, while in the second quarter, this gap had narrowed to approximately $48 million, a decrease of approximately 39%.

Currently, .com still maintains an advantage in transaction volume, but .ai is rapidly catching up.

The high-end domain name market has entered a phase of polarization.

While overall market data reached a new high, price trends among different types of domain names showed a clear divergence.

In the second quarter, the average transaction price for complete English word domain names rose to approximately $289,000, an increase of about 64% year-on-year. However, the median transaction price fell from $14,400 to $8,000.

This means that the market rise was mainly driven by a small number of top-level domain name transactions.

The current domain name investment market is exhibiting a clear "head effect":

Scarce word domain names and short character domain names are attracting capital;

Ordinary domain name transaction prices have not risen in tandem;

Buyers are paying more attention to brand value, commercial fit, and future growth potential.

For holders of high-quality word domain names and short domain names, the market environment is becoming more favorable, while a large number of ordinary domain names still face more intense competition.

English word domain names remain the core assets of the market.

From the transaction structure perspective, investor demand for English domain names with clear meaning continues to increase.

Second Quarter:

English word domain name transactions reached approximately $116.6 million;

Non-English word domain name transactions totaled approximately $11.2 million;

The average price of non-exact match domain names decreased from $27,700 to $20,700.

Data indicates that in the current environment of AI startups and global brand building, domain names with clear semantics, memorability, and international appeal remain a key focus of the market.

.ai drives rapid growth in ccTLD market share

In the past few years, the share of country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) in the global domain name investment market has been relatively limited.

However, in the second quarter of 2026, the share of ccTLD transaction volume increased from 15% in the first quarter to 31%, almost doubling.

The main driving force behind this growth was the .ai domain name.

While .ai is actually the country code domain for Anguilla in the Caribbean, it has become a significant brand asset recognized by global AI companies and investors due to the explosive growth of the artificial intelligence industry.

In contrast, other popular ccTLDs, such as .io and .co, saw a decline in market share this quarter.

Top-level .com domain holders are adopting a wait-and-see approach.

Meanwhile, some changes have occurred in the traditional high-value .com market.

Two-letter .com domains, long considered top-level assets, saw no transactions this quarter.

Previously, these domains held extremely high market value, with a median transaction price reaching approximately $825,000 last quarter.

Currently, some holders of scarce .com domains may be waiting for a higher price window, further reducing market supply.

Investors prefer "blank domain assets."

Another clear trend is that investors are increasingly inclined to purchase undeveloped domains rather than already operational website assets.

Data shows:

Approximately 92% of domain name transactions in the second quarter came from domains without websites yet built;

The median price for blank domain name transactions was approximately $4,750;

The median price for domain names with developed websites was approximately $4,023.

This indicates that the current market is focusing more on the value of domain names as brand entry points and future assets, rather than the revenue generated from existing website operations.

The US remains the largest buyer, with changes occurring in the Asian market.

In terms of buyer origin, US investors continue to dominate.

Second Quarter:

US buyers' purchases increased from approximately $105 million to $140 million;

Hong Kong buyers' purchases increased from approximately $1 million to $9.9 million, a nearly tenfold increase;

Mainland Chinese buyers' purchases decreased from $7.2 million to $4.8 million;

Canadian buyers' purchases decreased from $8.2 million to $5.1 million.

Overall, AI industry capital is becoming a significant source of funding driving high-value domain name transactions.

Overall, .com still boasts the largest market base and brand recognition, while .ai has achieved rapid growth thanks to the AI ​​industry trend.

In the coming years, the domain name market may see a new landscape emerge:

Top-level .com domains will continue to maintain their status as scarce assets, while premium .ai domains will become one of the most promising digital assets in the AI ​​era.

As a global premium domain name trading platform, DN.com currently possesses a large number of AI-related premium domain name resources, including premium .ai domains and industry keyword domains, helping businesses find digital brand entry points that better align with their future development direction.