If you’ve developed an interest in the field of crypto domain names, sooner or later, you’re going to come across the topic of coin domains. There’s actually a sort of double meaning here - two ways of how people interpret that term.
One of them has to do with .coin domain names - that’s self-explanatory. The other, however, refers to crypto and Web3 domains, in general - many individuals call them “coin domains”, interchangeably.
No matter which group you might fall into, we’ll cover both concepts in this article! The story behind .coin domain names is actually a very interesting one - unlike many other popular Web3 domains, .coin possesses a pretty peculiar history, with two large names in the space being involved - Unstoppable Domains is one of these names.
In fact, let’s cover this mentioned story first.
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Table of Contents
- 1. The Story Behind .Coin Domain Names
- 2. .Coin Domain Name Alternatives
- 3. What’s the Appeal of “Coin” Domains?
- 4. Unstoppable Domains - Should You Use This Registrar?
- 4.1. How to Buy Domains Names on Unstoppable Domains?
- 5. Compare & Contrast The Most Popular Domain Names
- 5.1. .Coin VS .NFT
- 5.2. .Coin VS .Crypto
- 5.3. .Coin VS .ETH
- 6. Conclusions
The Story Behind .Coin Domain Names
If you were to google the phrases “.coin domains”, or “buy .coin domain”, the very first results that you’d come across would probably have to do with purchasing a crypto domain, in general. If you’re a bit more adamant, and are looking for a .coin domain name, specifically, pretty soon, you’d find yourself facing a wall - there really isn’t much information about these domains online.
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This wasn’t always the case. A few years back, .coin domains were quite popular, and were also offered and sold by one of the most well-known, reputable domain name registrars in the crypto space - Unstoppable Domains.
At least, that was the general impression. In reality, however, there was actually another company called Emercoin that had been dealing in .crypto domains since 2014 - that’s 7 whole years before Unstoppable Domains started offering them!
So… Why would Unstoppable Domains take a domain name that their competitors were already offering for such a long time, and try to sell it themselves? Doesn’t that create some sort of a naming collision, and cause a lot of confusion on the user side of things?
Well, yes - it does, and very much so. This move by Unstoppable Domains, however, was unintentional - to put it simply, UD was not aware of the fact that the .crypto domain name was being offered and sold by Emercoin.
At that time, Emercoin did not really market their domain name extensions, including .coin domains. Instead, the extensions (endings) came as part of their bigger TLD (Top-Level Domain) offering, which gained even bigger prominence after a peering (integration, partnership) with OpenNIC.
Due to this perceived lack of widespread marketing, Unstoppable Domains started offering .coin domain names, thinking that it was the first company to do so. Once the reality of the situation was brought to their attention, however, UD rectified it rather quickly.
Specifically, Unstoppable Domains pulled the coin domain offering from their list, and issued refunds (that were three times the original buying price) to its customers who might have already purchased the aforementioned domain names.
So, as of writing this article, the situation is pretty simple - if you’d like to acquire .coin domains, specifically, you would need to do so via Emercoin. That being said, in most cases, this might not be the best course of action.
Allow me to explain.
While Emercoin is undeniably a veteran in the industry, the company actually primarily deals in dSDKs - Decentralized Software Development Kits. As you can probably imagine, products like these have a pretty specific target audience - namely, individuals and companies who are tech- and coding-savvy, and require such products for specific purposes / use cases.
Assuming that you don’t fall into that group, and are instead a more casual crypto enthusiast, chances are that using a more general public-friendly crypto domain name registrar would be a better idea. While other registrars won’t really offer to buy .coin domains, the options are still rather plenty.
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.Coin Domain Name Alternatives
Keep in mind that this entire chapter - and, by extent, the rest of the article - is dedicated to and aimed at individuals who are open to acquiring a different domain name, and not .coin domains. If you’re adamant about the latter, I’ll reiterate, one last time - Emercoin is kind of your only option.
Moving on from that, admittedly, there are quite a few different domain names that are similar to “.coin”, and are based on blockchain tech, too. The domains are going to include:
- .nft
- .crypto
- .blockchain
- .bitcoin
- .wallet
- .dao
If you’re looking for a close equivalent to .coin, then .crypto is probably as close as you’ll get. This domain name is loved among enthusiasts due to the fact that it’s both universal, as well as short and to the point.
Topic-wise, other similar domain endings would include .nft, .blockchain, .dao, and .wallet. While all of these endings reference different concepts, if you’re looking for a way to represent your position on crypto and Web 3.0, in general, they will all still send a similar message, nonetheless.
Then, you have .bitcoin. Admittedly, this is one of the more interesting domain endings of the lot, simply due to the fact of how specific it is. If you want to buy .coin domain names simply due to the fact that they sound “cool”, .bitcoin might suffice, as well.
However, the latter domains are usually bought by individuals who are Bitcoin maximalists - in other words, who believe that BTC is "the only way to go”, and whose portfolios are made up (almost) exclusively of Bitcoin.
What’s the Appeal of “Coin” Domains?
Going back to the topic of specific coin domains, this is actually a pretty interesting concept to look into a bit deeper, too. If anything, it can help you get a better understanding of why .coin domains are sought-after, in the first place.
It probably wouldn’t be incorrect to say that these specific domain names are most popular among individuals who are fans of some single, specific digital asset. As a bit of a silly example, think of it this way - if you’re a fan of Bitcoin, you could purchase a domain name called “fanofbit.coin”. Naturally, most people are far more imaginative with their examples, but you get the idea.
In a very specific way, this can also showcase signs of maximalism, towards a designated project. I’ve glanced over the concept in the previous chapter of this article, but it shouldn’t be discarded as a “trivial” point - instead, there could actually be practical uses for it!
How so? Well, think about it this way - imagine that you’ve come across a really interesting cryptocurrency, and one that’s been growing in popularity, rapidly. If you’re quick enough, and time it right, you could buy .coin domains associated with that crypto asset, and then try and flip them for a profit.
Since these domains would specifically be associated with the aforementioned crypto project, this could prove to be a lucrative opportunity! Naturally, it’s pure speculation, at that point, but certain specific crypto project maximalism shouldn’t be dismissed, either way!
On the flip side, coin domain names could also be attractive to certain specific brands and crypto projects, themselves! If you run a crypto platform, and want to build your Web 3.0 presence, a domain name is a good place to begin - and, with the help of a creative domain, you could kickstart your branding campaign!
On the flip side, however, as time goes on, there are new domain name endings entering the market - ones that could become more appealing than .coin domains, to enthusiasts who are initially interested in the latter. This, combined with the simplicity and feature variety offered by specific registrars, could make .crypto, .nft, .bitcoin, and other domains out to be a viable option.
All of that being said, to put it short, my point here is simple - there are plenty of coin domain alternatives that you can choose from, and acquire. If you find that any of the above-mentioned domain names suit your fancy, though, I have good news for you - they can all be acquired from a single platform.
Unstoppable Domains - Should You Use This Registrar?
That’s right - all of the domain name endings mentioned above are offered and sold by Unstoppable Domains, a brand that I mentioned already, earlier in the article.
Naturally, if you’re looking for .coin domain names, and stumble upon the story that follows these domains, you might wonder - should you even use Unstoppable Domains, in the first place? I mean, if the brand has found itself in a controversy like that, can it be trusted?
Having questions like these is normal. Let’s break it down, shall we?
As far as the “controversy” is concerned, it’s worth reiterating that there was none, at least as far as the public is concerned. Instead, it was a simple misunderstanding - one that was quickly and effectively resolved, mind you!
On the other hand, when it comes to the question of whether or not Unstoppable Domains is worth using, it really depends on your own, personal situation. In a general sense, of course - it’s one of the best-known and widely-accepted crypto domain registrars!
While UD might not offer coin domains anymore, if you choose to purchase one of the other available domain names from the brand, you’ll find that it comes equipped with a wide range of different benefits. This is true both directly (from the user side of things), as well as indirectly.
Direct benefits include things such as a social profile, different wallet connections under the same domain (handle), and one-time payment processing. Yup, you’ve got that right - Unstoppable Domains doesn’t have a subscription service, unlike some other popular Web 3.0 registrars (I’m looking at you, ENS). Truthfully, most people would likely prefer a one-time payment solution.
In addition to all of that, as of writing this, Unstoppable Domains has over 700 different integrations, as well as close to 900 partners. These numbers are very important, especially if you’re looking to use your crypto domain as a wallet address replacement.
All things considered, it’s pretty evident that UD does, in fact, offer a huge array of benefits to its clients. So, if you’re not overly keen on acquiring a .coin domain, UD can certainly prove to be a viable option!
How to Buy Domains Names on Unstoppable Domains?
For the sake of this tutorial, let’s assume that you’re actually interested in checking out some .coin domain name alternatives, and are willing to do so via Unstoppable Domains. If that’s the case, allow me to give you a rundown of what this process would look like, and what you can expect from the entire ordeal.
Do note, though, that I’ll focus on the main points - if you’d like to have a closer, step-by-step look into the entire process, make sure to check out my dedicated tutorial on the topic.
First of all, you’ll need to visit Unstoppable Domains, and connect your wallet to the platform. You may choose to sign up with alternative means, but for the sake of this tutorial, I’ll assume that you’ll be using your crypto wallet.
Now, do keep in mind that the wallet that you’ll be using should already contain some Ether inside of it, and that it’s going to be the place where your brand-new domain name will be stored. This is true whether you’d be purchasing a domain from UD, or a coin domain name from any other brand.
So, once you connect your wallet, you can choose to follow the domain acquisition process from the homepage of Unstoppable Domains. This aforementioned process is very straightforward - kudos to UD for making it so, in the first place! Once you pick out your preferred domain, you will eventually reach the payment & acquisition stage.
Once again, you can pay via a few different methods, but let’s assume that you’ll be using the Ether from your wallet. As you follow through with the payment, and if everything goes smoothly, you will then need to mint the NFT of your domain.
By default, Unstoppable Domains employs the Polygon blockchain, for all of its domain minting and storage needs. This is actually some really good news for you, as a customer - without going too deep into the technicalities, it essentially means that you’ll be able to mint your NFT-crypto-coin domain without having to pay for any gas fees.
It also doesn’t conflate with any of the plans that you might have, regarding the domain name, since you’d be able to transfer your NFT to Ethereum, after it’s minted, and with the help of the Unstoppable Domains’ dashboard. Note, however, that this process *will* come with some additional fees, so it’s a good idea to try and time it when the Ethereum network isn’t as congested, if that’s possible.
If you’re flexible with your .coin domain name wants and needs, the great thing about Unstoppable Domains is that the company offers a big variety of different additional features, once you do purchase a domain name.
Some of these features are rather self-explanatory - as an example, UD allows you to create a static website on IPFS, with the help of a few designated tools. Others, however, are a bit more intriguing.
Specifically, once you’re a crypto domain owner, UD will allow you to add different wallet addresses to your dashboard, thus associating them with your newly-acquired crypto wallet handle. In turn, this means that, in many cases, you’ll be able to manage all of your incoming transactions via a single, simple-to-read wallet address!
On top of that, you might have also heard about social Web 3.0 profiles - Unstoppable Domains is the leader in this area, as well! You’ll have the chance to create a profile of your own, link other social media that you might have with it, add and showcase your NFT collections, and so on.
So, in short, there are a lot of benefits to using UD as your domain name provider of choice! Naturally, while you won’t be able to buy .coin domain names, specifically, if you’re flexible in that regard, Unstoppable Domains is likely the way to go!
Compare & Contrast The Most Popular Domain Names
So - up to this point in the article, you should already have a pretty good idea of what makes .coin domain names appealing, the history behind them, as well as some alternatives, and where to acquire them.
All of that said and done, and even though we’ve already talked about the different domain endings out there, it’s worth comparing and contrasting some of the most popular domains with .crypto. This way, you’ll get a better understanding of the industry, as a whole, and perhaps the decision-making process will become much simpler, too?
.Coin VS .NFT
Comparing .coin and .nft domain name endings, the very first thing that you’ll likely notice is that both of them will cater to different audiences.
The former domains are a bit more open-ended. What this essentially means is that they’re going to fit a wider range of people, simply due to the fact that they are less specific.
Are you a fan of Bitcoin? Perhaps you love Ethereum? Or, maybe you’ve just found a very niche altcoin, and got involved with the community behind it? If any of those are the case, .coin domain names will certainly suffice!
In regards to .nft domains, on the other hand, things are a bit different. These domain names are mostly favored among individuals who are fans of the non-fungible token space, in general, and are looking for ways to showcase just that. Perhaps you hold a lot of different NFTs (from different collections), and naming your wallet with an extension like that would act as a ‘cheery on top’?
No matter what your primary reason for acquiring a crypto domain might be, it’s worth considering the fact that you can actually host websites with said domain names, as well. Even if it’s not your primary goal to do so, who knows - perhaps in a few years, when the market for your particular domain name is right, you might want to create a simple website, advertising the domain and listing it for auction?
In that case, NFT and coin domains are quite different, as well, especially in the sense of how those websites are created. With a .coin domain name, you would need to use Emercoin, and the tools offered by the brand. Granted that the whole service model of the company is catered around the more tech-knowledgeable individuals (as far as web development is concerned), this could cause some difficulties.
On the flip side, and as I’ve mentioned earlier, .nft domains are sold by Unstoppable Domains. This, in turn, means that you’ll be able to create a website straight from your UD dashboard, and with the helpful guidelines and tools offered by the brand in question.
In a very general sense, even though you’d be creating a pretty static website in both cases, this is still very notable, and should be taken into consideration!
.Coin VS .Crypto
Another popular crypto domain name / handle is .crypto - that’s probably something that doesn’t require a lot of explanation.
At first glance, .coin and .crypto might seem rather similar. After all, they both refer to cryptocurrencies, right?
Well, no - not necessarily, at least.
As mentioned earlier in the tutorial, .coin is somewhat specific, in the sense that it refers to a crypto asset. While .crypto domain names *could* point to specific coins or tokens, as well, for the most part, these domains are seen in a much more generalized way.
The term “crypto” is quite universal. Most individuals refer to everything within the space as being related to crypto - whether it be NFTs, crypto assets, different networks, specific blockchain technologies, or even Web 3.0; in the minds of most enthusiasts, all of these concepts harken back to “crypto”, on a fundamental level.
All of that is to say - in most cases, .crypto domain names are likely going to be the more popular, as well as the better alternative. Since these domains are more universal, they’ll also be a lot more appealing to any potential buyers, if you ever plan to resell the domain.
Furthermore, you shouldn’t forget that you can purchase a .crypto domain from Unstoppable Domains, as well. This means that it will come with all of the already-mentioned and discussed benefits - ones that wouldn’t necessarily be available with Emercoin and .coin domains.
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.Coin VS .ETH
As a final pair, it’s worth comparing and mentioning .coin and .eth.
.eth domain names are sold by ENS - the Ethereum Name Service. The company in question employs a subscription-based service model - you would pay a yearly fee, and possess the domain name in question until you continue doing so.
ENS domains (.eth) are undeniably among the most popular in the industry, with Ethereum Name Service itself being seen as one of the pioneering brands in the space. A big variety of celebrities have also acquired .eth domain names, which helped boost the popularity of this asset even further.
When you compare that specific aspect - popularity -, it’s evident that .eth domain names are far ahead .coin ones. Naturally, if you’re looking for a domain name for your own, personal use, this isn’t necessarily a big factor to consider; however, if you’d like to try and flip your domain later on, then popularity does play a significant role in the process and its potential success.
Another point here is that .eth domain names are very specific - you kind of tell the world that you’re a huge Ethereum maximalist. Naturally, in and of itself, that’s not a negative thing - it does depend on your specific position and situation, though.
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Conclusions
We’ve reached the very end of our .coin domain article - that was quite a rollercoaster!
It’s rather evident that .coin domain names are among the most history-rich ones on the entire market. This is true both in regards to the discussed Unstoppable Domains x Emercoin situation, as well as in a very general sense, too.
Acquiring a .coin domain isn’t exactly the most simple process to partake in - Emercoin focuses on some advanced technological services, and thus, can come off as rather confusing for your average crypto enthusiast.
If you’d like to become an owner of a crypto domain name, and aren’t focused on .coin domains, specifically, do keep in mind that there are alternatives out there, too. While the name has appeared numerous times throughout this article, Unstoppable Domains is certainly one of the top picks in this regard.
The brand offers a wide array of different domain name endings, and makes the acquisition process very straightforward and newbie friendly. It’s certainly worth checking out, at least as a starting point of your Web 3.0 domain and identity journey!
Thanks for reading, and until next time!
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