Tomorrow, June 2nd, 2014, will be remembered as the day that the internet evolved and every generation of internet users were unified. My vision for an affordable, truly generic, and open namespace that I had years ago will finally come to fruition.

Since the beginning of the internet, there has always been a need for a generic domain extension that has never been fulfilled. Let’s look at some of the most popular domain extensions: .com, .net, and .org. .com is meant for commercial enterprises, .net is meant for networks, and .org is for organizations.

Where is the extension that has no connotation or meaning that can be used by anyone, anywhere, for any purpose?

Four years ago, I had a dream of creating the .xyz domain extension. Although the letters “XYZ” have little-to-no meaning, everyone in the world has used and seen “XYZ” at some point in their lives. So what is .xyz? .xyz is whatever you want it to be. It’s a totally customizable domain extension for Every Website, Everywhere.™ It’s the platform for people all over the world to develop a memorable and meaningful online presence, regardless of their industry or interests.

Think about .xyz.

Now keep thinking.

Now try and forget it. I dare you. Just like I dared 10 million people who listened to me on NPR. And guess what? You can’t forget it. It is the ending of the alphabet, and it is the ending of domain names. It’s instinctive. It’s natural. It makes sense.

After you’ve read this, ask someone else what they think of .xyz as the next .com. And ask them to think of a more intuitive ending to a domain name. And challenge them to try to forget it.

Could they forget it? Could YOU forget it? If you could, please post your comments below and I will address them.

You read it here first – .xyz will be the biggest and fastest growing new domain extension. It is the next .com for the next generation of internet users all over the world.

A brief history
Let’s go back to the year 1985. What happened that year? For starters I was born: Daniel M Negari (DMN). What else happened? The first .com was registered. And it took until 1994 for .com domain names to actually be used for commercial purposes. Then it took another five years and several million registrations for it to popularize in 1999. Fast forward to 2014 and there are approximately three million domains registered every month.

Over 250 million domain names are now registered in the world and 113 million of them end in .com. With 5 billion new internet users coming online in the next decade, plus the significant advancements in mobile technology, this number is continuing to grow at a RAPID pace. The revolution is coming – and there is a need for a short, affordable, and universal ending to domain names that allow individuals to express themselves online.

Why didn’t I choose another extension?
So why not .web or .online? Aren’t those obvious generic domain strings that everyone will want to register? Maybe 20 years ago. But in 2014 – or 2024 – why would someone get on the web to visit petstore.web? Why would someone go online and then type in email.online? Isn’t that a bit redundant? We are not in the 80’s or 90’s anymore. Both of these terms are outdated and stale – and neither extension is even available yet! There is only one true generic domain extension that exists on the internet right now, and that is .xyz.

term web is declining
(source: http://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=web&cmpt=q)

Introducing .xyz
Did you know that 99% of all registrar searches today result in a “domain taken” page?

After speaking with some of the top registrars, I have learned their users are very frustrated with the domain registration process. One registrar in particular said their visitors search on average nine times before setting on their tenth choice, resulting in unsightly domain names with numbers and dashes that don’t pass the radio test. This tells us that there is a clear need for additional domain name options, and that is where new extensions fit into the picture.

.com saw its initial growth from the baby boomers and Gen X’ers who were able to register short, desirable domain names. The Gen Y’ers, millennials, and beyond haven’t had this privilege. And why should the older generation be the only ones with a chance to innovate? Where will the next wave of internet entrepreneurs and innovators come from? We deserve the chance to have a short, memorable, and affordable domain name too.

So here comes the contender – .xyz. It is run by me, an aggressive and successful internet marketer, and a sophisticated team made up of Gen Y’ers. And guess who knows how to market to that next generation of internet users who are looking for the first online presence? Us – the Gen Y’ers, the next generation. It’s that simple. Would you rather get your domain names from your grandfather, your father, or from someone that lives and breathes domain names like me?

Even in its early stages, the new gTLD program has already been a huge success, with over 850,000 new gTLD domain names registered in the first four months. This bodes extremely well for .xyz, which we have positioned at a significantly lower price point for a worldwide market.

There is no doubt in my mind that the growth rate of .xyz will surpass the growth rate of .com. It won’t take us 20 years to reach one million registrations. It will only take 1 year. The growing number of internet users online today, the increasing demand for domain name registrations, and the way we have positioned .xyz all validate this projection. Soon we will see that there is only one competitor to .com, and that is .xyz.

new gtld's growth
(source: http://ntldstats.com/ )

There are a lot of skeptics. But have you seen the EuroDNS homepage lately? The registrars, the media, and the registrants are all on board. I’m going all in on .xyz with a multi-million dollar budget and one of the largest distribution channels of over 200 registrars. Our team is quickly growing, and I have the pleasure of working with the most talented and innovative individuals in the domain world.

What a great registrar
(source: http://eurodns.com)

How can you benefit from .xyz?
Investors, you’ve been put on notice. Like the modern .com, .xyz is an unrestricted extension meant for every use. And unlike other registry operators, we have reserved only a few thousand domain names while skipping the variable pricing and shady tactics. With plenty of premium domain names left to choose from for under $10 per year, a .xyz portfolio is a great investment. You are investing in the future of the internet and you are getting in on the ground floor. Use our domain name generator or Click here to download a list of the top 5,000 domains that are still available for registration at the time of this post. Most of these domain names will probably be taken within the first 30 seconds of our general availability, which begins at 9am PDT tomorrow, so I recommend that you preregister your favorite domains now.

In case you missed the link above, here are 5,000 premium domains.

As for personal use, one popular application I have heard is custom email addresses, such as [email protected]. I predict that the majority of YourName.xyz domains will be taken within a few months, so I recommend registering your FirstName.xyz and LastName.xyz now. Beyond personalized email addresses, .xyz domains may be used for personal websites, programming projects, blogs, stores, startups, or even redirection purposes. .xyz is whatever you make it.

Final thoughts
Many of my readers may not be aware of my track record or the success I have had. However, those that have done business with me or know me personally know that I am ultra-progressive and am typically dead-on in my predictions. And despite having transacted over $100 million in domain name sales in the aftermarket while still controlling one of the strongest .com portfolios, I am going all-in on .xyz. While I believe premium .com domains will continue to appreciate with the prominent usage of the extension for many years to come, I also recognize the value of investing in new internet users and their needs.

.xyz is the future. It is for your kids, your grandkids, and even your great grandkids. Twenty years from now, the internet landscape will be very different than it is today. Everyone already knows that you end the alphabet with “XYZ,” and soon everyone will know that you end a domain name the same way.

.xyz is my gift to the world. You now have a better understanding of my vision and the future of the internet, and this is your chance to be a part of it. You have the opportunity to be one of the early adopters and I urge you to take advantage of your newfound knowledge. You heard it straight from the source.

Warmly Yours,

D

A few shout outs
Frank Schilling – I admire you a great deal – you are one of the most progressive CEO’s I know. Keep up the great work.

Rick Schwartz – I admire you as well, you went from being totally against new gTLDs to having one of the largest new gTLD portfolios. Interesting how perspectives change.

Morgan Linton – you get it. Everyone should closely observe up-and-comers like Morgan as a model for success. I am calling him out as one of the next great entrepreneurs.

Andrew Rosener – check. The future is in believers. Your future is in your control.

Mike Berkens – A reformed believer, I see you buying new gTLDs. I think you are wise and I admire you.

And to the people who don’t get it – I will leave you out of this post directly. I know there are lots of you out there – I get your emails, phone calls, and death threats. Don’t worry, I am not going to completely destroy the value of your assets. Your premium .com domains are safe. But that 3, 4, or 5 word .com? Upgrade to the .xyz immediately. I am doing you a favor.

All of the comments above are my views, not that of my company. ceo.xyz is a place for me to express my opinions. Have something to add? Please post in the comments section below.