KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 — Malaysian tech entrepreneur Arsyan Ismail has earned over RM300 million from the sale of the prestigious web address AI.com in April 2025, following a transaction reportedly worth US$70 million (around RM301 million at the time).
Arsyan, who first grabbed attention for the high-value deal, originally acquired the domain back in 1993 as a 10-year-old using his mother’s credit card.
Rather than spending it on toys or games, he purchased the domain AI.com for just US$100 (roughly RM256 at the time).
At the time, his mother was reportedly bewildered by the charge, having no understanding of what a domain was, and only seeing a random deduction on her credit card statement.
Arsyan later explained that his decision was entirely personal: the letters “AI” coincidentally matched his own initials.
He did not foresee the rise of artificial intelligence or have a long-term plan in mind.
The domain was eventually sold to Kris Marszalek, co-founder and CEO of Crypto.com, after being listed for US$100 million in March 2025.
The sale is believed to be one of the largest domain-name transactions ever publicly disclosed.
Arsyan, now 43, has spent over three decades in the tech sector, working on internet projects since his teenage years.
He contributed to platforms such as Kawanster, Nuffnang, and Friendster before founding 1337 Tech in 2013.
An early adopter of Bitcoin, he remains active in blockchain and cryptocurrency development, and is also known as a collector of rare digital assets, including ultra-short email addresses, web domains, and Ethereum Name Service identifiers.
Reflecting on the sale, Arsyan advised caution in negotiations with ultra-high-net-worth individuals, saying, “Don’t over-negotiate or try to ‘bait’ them, or you could risk losing the deal. That’s my main advice for transactions at this level.”
