A Ten-Year Promise, Fulfilled in Hong Kong: 2026 Domain World Conference Concludes Successfully

October 26, 2026, CAI Building, Hong Kong, China — The Domain World Conference 2026, hosted by Domain World Conference, co-organized by DN.com, and supported by media partner Domain.news, has successfully concluded.

Following the 2016 World Domain Conference in Wuzhen, this event marked another world-class gathering for the global domain industry. A decade later, over 150 industry decision-makers—representing registries, registrars, domain investment firms, brokerages, intellectual property service providers, and Web3 technology enterprises—converged in Hong Kong. Under the theme "Encountering a New Era: The Convergent Evolution of AI, Web3, and Digital Brand Assets," participants engaged in a full day of in-depth dialogue and resource networking.

A Decade-Long Legacy: From Wuzhen to Hong Kong

The 2016 World Domain Conference in Wuzhen stood as the largest and most influential event in the domain industry at the time, creating a shared memory for domain professionals worldwide. Ten years on, the industry has undergone multiple transformations: the widespread rollout of new top-level domains (gTLDs), the redefinition of domain identity value through Web3, and a surge in demand for defensive domain registrations as AI reshapes corporate branding.

Against this backdrop, the 2026 World Domain Conference has taken up the mantle. Arriving at a pivotal industry juncture—marked by 1,615 new gTLD applications under the latest ICANN round, the unlocking of value in AI-related domains, and the transition of Web3 domains from concept to practical application—this conference signals the domain industry’s entry into a "new cycle of premium domains."

Morning Session: Opening Remarks and Keynote Addresses—Multidimensional Perspectives from Investment to AI

The morning session commenced with opening remarks followed by four keynote speeches.

Jack Dai, founder of DN.com, delivered the opening address as the host, welcoming guests from around the globe and officially launching this long-awaited reunion, a decade in the making.

A Special Moment: Guest Speaker Mike Cai Takes the Stage—The "Domain Name King" Commands the Floor

Following the opening remarks, the event reached its most anticipated moment: Mike Cai—widely hailed as "China’s Domain Name King"—took the stage to deliver the conference’s first keynote address.

As the founder of Longling Investment and CAI Holdings, and the creator of Meitu, Cai Wensheng stands as one of Asia’s most influential domain name investors. With a portfolio of domain assets valued in the billions, he possesses unique industry insights into this investment sector. His presence alone serves as the most significant highlight of this conference.

Even more symbolic is the venue itself: the CAI Building—where the conference is being held—was acquired by Cai Wensheng. The name "CAI" represents the convergence of Crypto and AI, and the domain name "CAI.com" was secured with the assistance of the co-organizer, DN.com. Here, a domain name investor stands within a building named after a domain, discussing a new cycle for the industry—a vivid, real-world manifestation of "domain names as core digital assets."

Addressing the opportunities within this new cycle for the domain industry—and the strategy of leveraging Hong Kong as a springboard to expand into the global market—Cai Wensheng shared his perspective:

"Opportunities in the new cycle for domain names: starting from Hong Kong, reaching out to the entire world."

Following this, three keynote speeches were delivered in succession:

Richard Lau, founder of Logo.com—recognized as the 2004 "Domainer of the Year," founder of NamesCon, and operator of one of the world’s first 30 domain registrars—presented a talk titled "The Next Golden Age of Domains: How AI, New gTLDs, and Digital Identity Will Shape the Next Decade." Drawing on his three decades of deep industry experience, he offered this assessment:

"Having been in this industry for thirty years, I have never been as certain as I am today: the next golden age of domains is beginning."

Jack Dai, founder of DN.com, presented a talk titled "In the Wave of a New Cycle: From Discovering Value to Redefining Value—Global Allocation of Domain Name Assets and Domain Name Funds." In it, he decoded the logic behind allocating domain names as digital assets within this new cycle:

"In this new cycle, the key to domain name investment is no longer just discovering value—it is about redefining it."

Finally, Pang Ke from the ZDNS / .fans & .ren registry concluded the keynote segment with a presentation titled "Navigating Through Cycles: Growth Potential in the Domain Market Driven by AI Application Innovation." From the perspective of DNS and domain infrastructure, he analyzed the incremental opportunities unlocked by AI innovation—

"AI has brought about the most significant transformation of our era, and with it, the next wave of growth for the domain market."

Four keynote presentations—ranging from Cai Wensheng’s assessment of global opportunities in the new cycle to Richard Lau’s vision of the "next golden age," Jack Dai’s redefinition of value, and Pang Ke’s perspective on AI-driven growth—collectively mapped out the full contours of this new domain name cycle for the attendees.

Afternoon Session: Five Roundtables, Engaging the Entire Ecosystem

The afternoon agenda centered on five roundtable forums, covering the most debated and opportunity-rich topics within the industry:

Roundtable 1 | The Wave of 1,615 New gTLD Applications: Opportunities, Bubbles, and Risks (Moderator: Eric Yang, Next Domain Limited) — Featuring Wong Wilson (CEO of .hk), Hiro Tsukahara (CEO of .shop), and Chris Avila (Gname), this session explored the opportunities and risks surrounding the largest-ever round of new gTLD applications.

Roundtable 2 | The Path to Co-developing New Top-Level Domains (TLDs) in the AI ​​Era: Perspectives from Registries and Registrars (Moderator: Yang Jun, CEO of Kenpai Technology) — Featuring Bridge Song (Founder & CEO of WeCAN Cloud), Chen Jie (CEO of .top), Tang Guangwen (CEO of Juming), and Eric (CEO of Era Internet), who will explore collaborative strategies across the industry value chain.

Roundtable 3 | The New Landscape of Global Domain Brokerage: Synergy, Competition, and Risk Management in Cross-Border Transactions (Moderator: Heather Huang) — Featuring Andriy Khvetkevych (CEO, NicNames.com), Giuseppe (CEO, GGRG.com), and Tahmid (Founder, Alphadomains.ca), who will break down risk management for cross-border transactions from a practical, operational perspective.

Roundtable 4 | Navigating Change: New Growth Pathways for Domain Brokerage Platforms (Moderator: Tianna) — Featuring Wang Chunlei (Beijing Zhongyu Zhike), Tao Yiqiu (Dynadot), Brian Zhuang (Escrow.com), and Chang Zhongliang (CEO, Le.cn) — focusing on platform capabilities, transaction tools, and financial security.

Roundtable 5 | Domain Name Investment Logic in a New Era: Opportunities, Valuation, and Portfolio Strategies (Moderator: Alma, Founder & CEO of TECHUB NEWS) — Featuring Lu Meng (CEO of 88mi.com), Yan Feng (investor in numeric and *shuangpin* [two-pinyin] domain names), and Jack Dai (DN.com), who will share practical insights on valuation and portfolio management within this new market cycle.

VIP Private Dinner: A Night to Remember

As night fell over Hong Kong, invited guests made their way to the dining hall, where the VIP private dinner began in a relaxed atmosphere.

Free from formalities or rigid agendas, the evening offered nothing but delightful company, champagne, and unhurried conversation. Discussions from earlier in the day flowed naturally to the dinner table, and amidst the music and laughter, meaningful exchanges found their perfect moment.

DN.com: Leveraging Hong Kong as a Hub to Build a High-Quality Domain Name Circulation Network

As a co-organizer of this conference, DN.com has consistently contributed industry resources and media outreach. Standing at the threshold of a new cycle, we look forward to this event fostering three key outcomes:

A framework for domain valuation and compliance within the context of AI and Web3—providing a traceable basis for pricing high-quality assets;

Long-term collaborations spanning registries, brands, and investors—effectively connecting stakeholders across the entire industry value chain;

A high-quality domain name circulation network centered in Hong Kong—facilitating the efficient, compliant exchange of premium domain names.

Domain names are no longer merely "street addresses" on the internet. They serve as vehicles for brand identity, defenses against cybersquatting, and cross-platform credentials—evolving into digital assets that are defensible, tradable, and auditable.

A reunion a decade in the making. Our sincere thanks to all our speakers, roundtable panelists, sponsors, media partners, and every industry colleague who joined us. From Wuzhen to Hong Kong—a decade has passed in the blink of an eye, yet our original vision endures. A new cycle for the domain industry has only just begun.

See you all next year.