Who registered Ethereum.com first?
The recent rise of cryptocurrencies includes Ethereum (ETH), operated by the Ethereum Foundation.
Currently, Ethereum is a registered trademark, and we’ve seen activity by the Switzerland-based foundation, ranging from domain takedown via the UDRP, to opposing other trademark applications that contain “Ethereum.”
While it’s true that the current registrant of Ethereum.com acquired the domain before the Ethereum Foundation was conceived, its current $7.2 million dollar offer falls short of the seller’s expectations of $10 million USD.
Ethereum.com displays a registration date of 3/11/2011, making it 6 years old, according to DomainTools. But the domain had been registered before, as early as in 2006 and it dropped in late 2010.
Who was the original registrant of Ethereum.com?
After researching the domain’s history using DomainTools, we located the original owner: Jeff Foster, an entrepreneur from California, registered the domain Ethereum.com on December 19th, 2006.
Reaching out to Mr. Foster, and actually receiving a response was a long shot, but thankfully, he responded to our inquiry, and here’s what he had to say.
DomainGang: Jeff, tell us about the reasons you registered Ethereum.com, long before it became synonymous with a popular cryptocurrency.
Jeff Foster: I created and registered that name on a whim for personal use, but let it lapse because I wasn’t really using it for anything. Obviously wish I’d kept it!
DomaingGang: Nobody knows if a domain will become valuable, so no regrets. When did you register the domain and what triggered the keyword? Why ethereum vs. e.g. etherium?
Jeff Foster: In 2006. I was doing contract IT work at the time. My recollection was just looking for something short, easy to spell, high tech sounding, and easy to understand when spelled over the phone.
DomainGang: Obviously, you hit the spot, as it was re-registered in 2011 after you let it expire in 2010. Jeff, many thanks for sharing this information with us, and best of success with all that you do.
As a private person, Mr. Jeff Foster asked us not to share his contact information, adding humorously:
I’m sure Equifax has already done that, but the less out there the better. 😉
And there you have it. One can coin domain names out of ether (thin air) and eventually see them gain value in the millions of dollars.
Thanks for sharing. Taking efforts for the post.
Short, easy to spell, high tech sounding, and easy to understand when spelled over the phone:
pirecoin com
Not 10M$ but it will pursuit the market;)