Why are dedicated servers better for gaming?

Look no further than a stable and reliable dedicated server. If you’re routinely setting up games that can be played with countless other players from around the world, using a dedicated server can be a lifesaver. While most multiplayer online games rely on a host who simultaneously plays and hosts the game simultaneously, this setup can lead to performance issues such as lag, slower loading times, lost files, interrupted games, and (gasp!) crashes.

Invest in a dedicated server, and this won’t happen. Your players will still be able to play your game and not lose out. Because dedicated servers already include high amounts of CPU and RAM, this creates the perfect platform for gaming – minus the accompanying lag, crashes, and glitches. Sure, the devices players use to access the game are responsible for graphics, rendered sound effects, and game control, but the main load from the device is lifted when you access the dedicated game server.

Sure, you can run a dedicated server from your home, but a much easier way is to rent it from a hosting service provider, like Want2Host. Gaming on a dedicated server essentially means the saving mechanisms are more reliable than on a local machine. Why? Because it’s available 24/7 and it’s housed in a reputable data center. This means you won’t have to worry about monitoring, overheating, or security. You’ll also enjoy a much higher bandwidth, which ensures faster gameplay.

Ready to learn more about dedicated servers and why they’re perfect for online gaming? Let’s get started.

What is a gaming server?

In a multiplayer online game environment, there is typically a host and clients (players). Think of it like any online business, where the host can charge their players for server access or make money from membership fees. (It’s also common for the host to ask for donations from players or even to make money from streaming their gameplay.) 

Generally speaking, a host is a player who starts the game and is responsible for the host machine, which requires more memory, bandwidth, and processing power as the number of players increases. If the host happens to have a weak computer or spotty Internet, the game consequently suffers from lag, bugs, and crashes. The host does have a low latency advantage, just given their proximity to the host machine (their computer or console). 

The host typically uses this machine to run the local version of the game, which is the same device meant to keep the whole game in sync for their players playing. Here, the gaming host is responsible for everything from the player’s location and activity and the overall score and established rules. 

In terms of price per month for game server hosting, you’re looking at anywhere from a few dollars a month to hundreds of dollars per month. Ultimately, the total cost depends on how many players are playing and what technical specifications/resources are needed. 

How do dedicated gaming servers work?

With a dedicated server setup, you can think of it as more like a remote computer that hosts a video game for its players. Because a dedicated server doesn’t run on a game engine, it also doesn’t render anything like it would with the aforementioned graphics card. What it does do, however, is instruct client machines on what and when to render. 

In effect, a dedicated server offers more processing, memory, and storage capabilities, allowing you to:

1. Configure your server to provide seamless game playing (choosing the operating system, installing custom scripts, setting up tools, optimizing the game configuration, etc.).

2. Control how many players can join the game (too many players can take up too much processing time or memory). 

3. Restrict or ban users from joining the server if they broke rules or you planned a private gaming event. 

4. Customize and establish the game rules (for example, the number of rounds, equipment rules, winning conditions, etc.).

What to look for with a dedicated gaming server

While some gamers tend to blame game developers rather than the host for a poor gaming experience, a dedicated server is a foolproof way to ensure your gamers are happy campers. 

And remember that because all the technical resources are dedicated to you and you only, you don’t have to worry about sharing your dedicated server with someone else. This gives you added peace of mind, and you’ve got it, a higher level of security. 

So depending on the type of game you wish to play, your resources will vary, but these are paramount with your dedicated server: 

RAM and CPU

Not enough RAM and CPU will directly affect your loading time and speed of the server.

Disk space

The amount will influence how many players you’re allowed to have, the gaming time, and business potential.

Bandwidth

The higher the bandwidth, the less likely lags are to happen. For example, with Want2Host’s advanced-level servers, you can enjoy unmetered bandwidth.  

Uptime

Most hosting service providers also offer guaranteed uptime. Want2Host, for example, offers 99.99% uptime which means you can rest easy that your game stays up and running without interruptions.  

Source: namecheap.com

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How important is your domain for online marketing?

Everyone wants a good domain name for their website. A good domain name is also helpful when marketing your business.

Let’s take a look at the importance of a good domain name for both offline and online marketing, and how to use multiple domain names to drive a better return on investment for your advertising spend.

Offline marketing

Your domain name is important if you market your business offline. 

Examples of offline marketing include billboards, magazines, TV ads, radio spots, and flyers. Offline marketing also includes a big thing that almost all businesses depend on, even if they don’t spend a dime on offline marketing: word of mouth.

For all of these forms of marketing, your domain name needs to be simple, easy to remember, and easy to spell.

There’s a time gap between when people hear or see your website’s domain and actually type it into a browser. They must be able to remember it. Shorter is usually better, too.

Names also need to be easy to spell. No missing vowels, no tricky words that people need a dictionary to figure out how to spell. Even if someone wants to remember your business, they won’t be able to find it if they don’t know how to spell it.

No matter what type of offline marketing you do, having a domain that passes the radio test is critical to your success.

Online marketing 

Many of the challenges of offline marketing don’t carry over directly to online marketing. With online marketing, most of the time people are clicking a link that goes to your website. So people can land on your website even if your domain is long or difficult to spell.

But that doesn’t mean your choice of domain doesn’t matter for online marketing. In fact, it might matter even more.

Credibility

One of the key benefits of a good domain name is that it lends credibility. A long, convoluted domain name doesn’t instill confidence in potential customers. Meanwhile, a short, valuable domain name conveys instant credibility in consumers’ minds. 

This doesn’t mean you need to fork over $100,000 for a one-word domain. But it does mean that you should try to get a relatively short, high-quality domain. Avoid something like JimsDrivewaySealing4You.com.

Keywords

Consider the keywords in your domain name. The value of having keywords related to your business in your domain has changed over time. It used to be that Google used the keywords in the domain as a clue to the site’s topic and gave a boost to domain names that matched queries. 

Google has changed its algorithm because people tried to take advantage of this. Still, it seems that Google gives some credence to a domain’s words. If nothing else, when people refer to your business online, they will likely link to it by its name, which might give a signal to Google about what the site is about. This is especially handy if you want to expand the click-through rate of your eCommerce website or business page.

And even if Google gives less weight to the keywords in a domain these days, there are still lots of examples of sites quickly ranking for search queries that exactly match their domain. This is particularly the case with left-right combinations in new top level domains. 

People have been able to rank quickly for terms like “Montgomery Attorney” by using the domain montgomery.attorney. Home.loans ranks well for “Home Loans.” And for a while, the owner of vacation.rentals ranked on the first page of Google for “Vacation Rentals.”

But this search ranking success has been fleeting. And whether or not these sites are ranking highly due to their domain name is up for debate. Lately, there has been a move away from domain names that describe the business to more brandable names. 

The takeaway is that you shouldn’t choose a domain just because of a perceived keyword SEO value. But it might be worth using relevant keywords in your domain name depending on how you market your site.

To sum it up, having a good-quality domain name is key to building trust online and telling visitors what your site is about.

A multi-domain strategy

Most businesses use one domain name for their website. Whether you market online or offline, you should consider a multi-domain approach to get the most out of your advertising spend. Use multiple domain names that forward to your main domain name to track results and test response rates.

For offline marketing, using multiple domains can help you track which ads are working for you. Use a slightly different domain name for each ad campaign and track web traffic to each domain name. This helps you understand if your new customers are coming from a particular radio station, billboard, or another offline medium.

For online marketing, hyper-targeted domain names can help drive more clicks. Someone looking for a window washer in Tacoma, Washington might be more inclined to click on a Google Adwords link for TacomaWindowWasher.com than a generic term that looks like a national company.

There have been some small studies that show that right-left combinations in new top level domain names can perform better than the same keywords on a .com when advertising on Google Adwords. For example, montgomery.attorney might bet more clicks than MontgomeryAttorney.com when the ad has the same message. These studies have been very small, however. 

The key is to test, test, test. Split test with multiple domains to see what drives the best results.

So start with a great domain name for your website. The best domain name you can afford. Then use a multi-domain strategy to drive the best results from both your offline and online marketing.

Source: namecheap.com

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It’s a big World Wide Web!

Most Want2Host customers have just one domain name in their account. 90% have ten or fewer.

Because most of us own one or two domains, you might be surprised to hear the total number of domain names registered by people and businesses worldwide: 366 million!

Let’s take a look at the details behind this staggering number.

A whole lot of domains

Verisign is the domain name registry that runs the .COM and .NET top level domains, among others. When you register a domain at Want2Host, we reserve the domain with Verisign. Verisign publishes a quarterly report estimating the number of domains registered at all registrars across the world.

In its most recent report covering the fourth quarter of 2020, Verisign reported that there were 366.3 million domain registrations across all top level domains at the end of last year. This is 4.0 million more than were registered at the end of 2019.

That’s slow growth of just over 1%, but there are some things you should know about that number.

First, Want2Host is growing much faster than domain registrations as a whole. Want2Host customer domains grew by nearly 18% last year!

Second, some companies that run top level domains have marketing and pricing promotions that lead to lots of growth, only for the number to fall when they raise prices. So the actual growth of active websites can be much rosier than the growth rate of domain registrations. Last year millions of businesses created an online presence, but the total number of domains barely grew. This will make more sense as we look at numbers by top level domain.

Top level domains and countries

More domains are registered under the .COM top level domain than any other top level domain by far. Over 150 million .COM domains are registered. Nearly one out of every two new domains registered at Want2Host last year were .COM.

You might be surprised to learn that the next three most popular domains by registration numbers don’t include the original domains .NET and .ORG. Instead, the next three are all what are called country code top level domains.

These two-letter top level domain names belong to countries. The countries decide who gets to register the domains and can restrict registration to just people and companies within their borders, or let anyone around the world register the domains.

The world’s most populous country has the most-registered top level domain. China’s .CN domain had 24.7 million domains at the end of last year according to Verisign’s report.

Number two was Tokelau’s .TK followed by Germany’s .DE.

Wait. What? You don’t recall the giant country of Tokelau from geography class? That’s because it’s a tiny island territory in the southern Pacific Ocean that covers just four square miles!

The reason it punches above its weight class in domains is that the territory struck a deal with a company that gives .TK domains away for free. People have registered millions of domains as a result, although you probably haven’t come across any websites using them.

The rest of the domains in the top ten are .NET, .UK (United Kingdom), .ORG, .NL (Netherlands), .RU (Russia) and .BR (Brazil).

Overall, there were about 160 million country code domains registered at the end of last year.

A key takeaway is that the number of domains registered in each top level domain doesn’t necessarily equate to how popular the domains are with website creators.

New top level domains

This point is driven home when you look at so-called “new” top level domains. These domains were released starting in late 2013 and include fun domain extensions like .CLUB, .MONEY, .VIP and, yes, .FUN.

The 26 million or so registrations in new top level domains account for about 7% of all registered domains. The most-registered domains might not be the ones you’d expect.

Ranked by the number of registrations, the most popular new top level domains are .XYZ, .ICU, .ONLINE, .SITE and .TOP.

Like Tokelau’s .TK, the leaderboard is driven mainly by low-cost domains. Some of the registries that run new top level domains give domains away for free or at a very low cost. This drives a lot of registrations, although few of the domains are actually used for websites. When registries stop offering cheap prices they lose a lot of domains, so the number of new top level domain registrations has dropped over the past year, dragging down overall growth in domain totals.

Source: namecheap.com

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Why Using a VPN While Traveling Is Essential

If you’re traveling, a virtual private network (VPN) is fast becoming a must-have accessory. Just like when you buy a padlock for a suitcase or take out insurance, your digital life needs protecting too. That’s because most of us take at least one smart device when we travel, whether it’s a phone, tablet, or laptop. 

Wherever you go, you’re likely to be online in some capacity—sharing photos on WhatsApp, checking your emails, booking flights, or watching your favorite shows when you need some downtime. A VPN will keep you secure when you’re online, especially when browsing in public places. In this article, we’ll explain what a VPN does and why it’s crucial to your online security.

What is a VPN, and What Does It Do?

A VPN is a private network that delivers Internet traffic through a public server to connect to remote sites, guarding your online activity. VPNs help ensure security—anyone who tries to intercept your data won’t be able to read it. Another benefit of having a VPN is the ability to switch your location. 

One of the most attractive features of a VPN is its ability to allow you to bypass geographical restrictions and access content wherever you’re traveling. Let’s say you’re going to Amsterdam. That means that with a VPN you can divert your IP address to your home country and browse local content like you never left. 

Understanding the Value of a VPN

VPNs offer more than just convenience. If you want to understand their real value, then imagine logging free Wi-Fi in a public place. In theory, anyone could access your device the moment you log in. Cybercriminals have been known to set up duplicate networks, luring people to log-on so they can swipe their passwords and credit card numbers. So without a VPN, a public Wi-Fi network is never secure. 

Wi-Fi hotspots are frequent targets for ‘Man in the Middle’ (MITM) attacks. A recent study analyzing up to 31 million Wi-Fi hotspots concluded that 28% of the hotspots pose a risk to users’ personal information. All your traffic transmitted over those networks, including private messages, passwords, documents, and photos, can be easily stolen and sold by hackers.

Cybercriminals can also use Rogue Access Points (AP), or “Evil Twins,” to steal your information. These illegal hotspots are designed to trick travelers into giving away their passwords. Let’s say you go into Costa for lunch, and their official Wi-Fi is “Costa Wi-Fi.” Hackers can easily set up a fake network “Costa_Wi-Fi” and when you open your laptop, both will seem genuine. 

Without a secure VPN in place, anyone who uses a public network is putting themselves at risk. Travelers are particularly vulnerable because they need public Wi-Fi as they’re no longer protected like they are at home. Free Wi-Fi hotspots in airports, coffee shops, and hotels, often don’t require a password and going online without a VPN is potentially dangerous. Just because a public network appears legitimate does not make it safe. 

It’s for these reasons that a VPN is a must-have tool when traveling. It will encrypt your connection and prevent criminals from accessing your data. If you connect to a public network using a VPN, you can browse on public networks with security and confidence. Safe in the knowledge, outsiders, cannot access your traffic—eliminating the risk of criminals swiping your passwords.

How Do I Decide which VPN Service to Use?

Frequent travelers who are reliant on public Wi-Fi networks need a VPN that has servers all over the world. If your privacy and security are important to you, then choosing a VPN that does not log your data should be a top priority. If you go for a “no logs” VPN, then it will be far less susceptible to data leaks than those that openly log your browsing habits.

Another VPN feature to consider is the ability to use it on all your devices. Whether you’re working from a Windows desktop, Mac, or your iPhone or Android phone, your VPN should be able to support them all and operate simultaneously.

Trust and Security

A “no-log” VPN means it does not collect or “log,” any information transmitted through its network. Advertisers and governmental agencies cannot access your online data—not even your VPN provider. Some VPNs collect a basic amount of information, such as your email address, but if you have any doubts, read over your VPN’s privacy policy before purchasing. 

If you value your privacy, then downloading a free VPN is something you should avoid as they typically sell your browsing data to advertisers as a way to monetize their service, putting your anonymity at risk. A subscription-based “no logs” VPN is a wiser choice, especially if you value a private connection while traveling.

Speed of Access

If you’re traveling for work or pleasure, then having fast Internet is necessary to keep in touch with people. When you go online in airport lounges or work from your hotel room, having a slow connection is often infuriating, costing you time and money. If having speedy Internet access is important, then when logging onto your VPN, choose an IP address in your current location. From your phone or desktop app, select the area you want to browse and click connect. 

Just remember, the further your data has to travel to make a connection, the slower it will be.

Working Remotely on Your Travels

Remote workers need to take online precautions to protect your company’s data, especially if your laptop or phone is lost or stolen. A VPN will help protect your network in public places and is fast becoming a mandatory requirement for companies, who expect their clients to take security precautions when they travel.

If you’re on vacation and want to keep your inbox down, then having a secure VPN will ensure you can safely work online. When you work remotely, you will need access to your company email, files, and other content management systems. If you’re using a public Wi-Fi hotspot at your hotel or cafe, then a VPN will be essential to protect your company or client’s information. 

Many companies have a bespoke VPN or require you to buy a private one to manage your affairs. Alternatively, you may have multiple clients as a digital nomad and need a VPN for your safety. Either way, having a secure “no logs” VPN connection will protect you and your clients.

Take Precautions before Traveling

Using a VPN is the best way for any traveler who has concerns about their privacy. With an estimated 50 million public Wi-Fi access points around the world, the data risks are self-evident.

Like adding a padlock to your suitcase or taking out insurance before you travel, it’s always safer to use a VPN on your travels. It will help protect your passwords, banking details, and photos. Hackers won’t waste their time trying to break through your VPN-protected connection when other people are logging onto their password-free networks. 

So take care when you’re traveling, and always use a VPN when you log onto a public Wi-Fi network. 

Source: namecheap.com

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How to find a memorable domain name

Short domain names are hard to find. But domains don’t have to be short to make great (and memorable!) brands.

Using a bit of creativity, such as alliteration or rhyming, can help you create a domain and brand that’s a bit long in characters but sticks on the brain.

Alliteration

“She sells seashells by the seashore.”

How many times were you told as a kid to say this phrase this three times fast? It’s a tongue twister!

But alliteration can be powerful when used correctly. It doesn’t have to make a tongue twister. Two or three word names in which each word starts with the same letter can be memorable brands.

Select your first word for a domain and then use a tool like WordFinder to find other words that start with the same letter. WordFinder sorts names by length so you can find short words that work well with your primary keyword. 

Make sure to say it out loud to verify there’s an alliteration: some words start with the same letter but the letter is silent. (Think psychology, tsunami, honest, and wrestle.)

Some big brands that use alliteration are Dunkin’ Donuts, PayPal, Best Buy and Chuckee Cheese.

Rhyming

Two (and even three) word domains can be easy to remember if they rhyme. They sound great, too! 

If you don’t have prior experience writing rap lyrics, the internet has you covered with nifty tools for finding words that rhyme. One excellent resource is RhymeZone.com. Plug in a word and RhymeZone suggests words and phrases that rhyme with the word. Words are sorted by syllables to help you find the shortest matches.

Let’s say you want a domain with the word game in it. Type the word in and you’ll find rhyming words like aim, fame, acclaim and proclaim.

Some major brands use rhyming to improve their catchiness. Examples include Crunch ‘n Munch, Lean Cuisine, and GrubHub.

Common phrases

A three or four word combination is still memorable if it’s a common phrase or idiom. You can even get away with tacking another word onto a long phrase if it’s well known.

Some common three word phrases you’ve probably heard are

◉ Piece of cake (ideas: Piece of Cake catering, Piece of Cake wedding planning)

◉ Break a leg (ideas: Break a Leg casting, Break a Leg production company)

◉ On the ball (ideas: On the Ball events, On the Ball sports training)

◉ Nail on the head (ideas: Nail on the Head construction, Nail on the Head engineering)

Even made-up phrases can be memorable, especially if you add a bit of rhyming to them or make them flow. For example, the Canadian telecom company SaskTel uses the domain name BeKindOnline.com to bring awareness to cyberbullying and cyber safety. 

Pulling it together

Once you find some prospective brands for your business, it’s time to do a reality check. Before you advance further, see if the domain name is available or at least listed for sale. Use Namecheap’s domain search to find out which extensions the words are available in and domains that are for sale on the domain aftermarket.

If the domain is available for registration or purchase, do a bit more homework before finalizing your name. Here are some things to do:

1. Make sure the name passes the “radio test.” Do people understand what you’re saying and how to spell your domain if you say it out loud? This is important if you’re sharing your website with people who can spread the word on your business, or with prospective customers. Some words can be tricky, and if you decide to get too creative, it will be hard for people to find your site after hearing it by word of mouth.

2. Check for trademarks. Search online trademark databases to see if any companies have trademarked the term for the goods or services you plan to offer. When in doubt, ask a qualified trademark attorney.

3. Consider variations of the name. Think about other ways people might spell the domain, shorten it, or abbreviate it. Try to cover all of your bases by registering other possible versions of your domain.

Coming up with a name is challenging. Hit the dictionary, look up some rhymes, and find a memorable name. If you get stuck or need a break, try to say, “She sells seashells by the seashore” three times fast!

Source: namecheap.com

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6 essentials for a successful e-commerce site

Believe it or not, in a World Wide Web filled with department stores and mass retailers, small businesses have the opportunity to shine more than ever. A well-designed e-commerce site can be used to share your brand story, highlight the role your business plays in the community, and how your specialization in a given product or service is better than the competition.

If you’re looking to launch an e-commerce site of your own, or improve your existing e-commerce experience, read on for the top components of any successful e-commerce shop.

These useful tips are brought to you by our partners at .US domains. Looking for a domain name that is uniquely you? Start with a .US.

1. Treat your e-commerce site like a live space (IRL) 

By this, we mean you should give website design the same heart and thoughtfulness as you did when you first built out your physical store. Brick-and-mortar entrepreneurs who are exploring an expansion to online must remember that creating a thriving e-commerce enterprise can be done from scratch–but you can’t treat the online space as an afterthought.

This is where attention to design comes into play. Think about your existing storefront or the brand you aim to build, and make sure these elements (such as typography, colors, and graphics) transfer to the website’s aesthetics. There are many free resources that can help you easily create beautiful banners and graphics, such as Canva, Crello, and Easil, to name a few.

2. Brand relevance is key 

If you already run a brick-n-mortar store, it’s critical that you choose a domain name that closely matches your physical brand. Consider alternative domain endings, like .US, .CO, and .BIZ to increase domain availability and create a short, memorable, and relevant URL. 

A well-crafted URL will immediately let the user know who you are and what you do as a business. When it comes to domain names, the shorter the better to increase brand recall and drive more website traffic. 

3. Don’t underestimate the power of SEO 

It doesn’t matter how beautiful your new website is, if search engines can’t find it, then your customers won’t find you. This is where SEO (search engine optimization) comes into play. 

Take the time to ensure your website is well optimized with keywords related to your product or service, increasing its visibility in the highly cluttered and competitive world of search engine rankings. And if you haven’t created the appropriate social media accounts for your shop yet, you want to make sure you create them and link everything back to your e-commerce site.

4. Make the checkout process quick & easy 

For starters, try to offer as many payment options as possible, ranging from major credit cards to more innovative and automated payment systems like Apple Pay and Google Pay.

This is very important for an easy checkout process and better customer experience, especially if your shop serves both local and global audiences. Some countries prefer to use credit cards for online payments, while others prefer digital payment systems like PayPal, so having multiple payment options is crucial for success.

5. Target mobile audiences

Optimize marketing initiatives for mobile leveraging Google Ads and social platforms such as Facebook and Instagram ads. These channels host a primarily mobile audience and can capture in-the-moment shoppers. As mentioned, it is critical to make sure your mobile shopping site offers a great user experience, with easy navigation and checkout features. With cart abandonment rates of more than 75%, business owners cannot afford to lose customers due to too many redirects or required clicks.

6. Create an e-commerce with a soul 

Use your site as an opportunity to connect with customers and develop a personal relationship, rather than just a transaction.

Anticipate their questions and needs with a Frequently Asked Questions section. Share your founding story and your startup mission by creating a compelling About Us page. Customers are interested in knowing who you are and what you stand for. If you are an expert in a particular area, think of creating a blog with useful tips and tricks for website visitors, or curate content related to your products and services. Your knowledge and dedication to enlightening your customers will speak volumes about your business and product. 

Remember, developing and launching a website is an ongoing process, so the best piece of advice we can give you is to just go for it! Even a single-page website gets your store off the ground and into the virtual world. Start there and work on optimizing the experience as you go. If you haven’t already, reserve your business name now. If you’re looking for a domain that is uniquely you, look no further than .US. 

Source: namecheap.com

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How cryptocurrency prices impact domain names

The value of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ether has fluctuated a lot. Prices have fallen from their highs this year but are still up substantially compared to a year ago when you could buy one bitcoin for about $10,000.

Cryptocurrencies don’t technically have anything to do with domain names, but appreciating cryptocurrency prices actually have an impact on the domain name aftermarket where people buy and sell domain names.

Let’s review the impact soaring cryptocurrency values have on the market and discuss ways you can profit from cryptocurrency trends with your domain name investments.

Impact on domains

As cryptocurrencies increase in value, this impacts the domain name market in two ways.

First, people who have made money investing in crypto are investing some of their gains into domain names. Domain brokers report that many buyers are asking to acquire domain names using cryptocurrency rather than dollars.

These buyers are sometimes willing to pay more for domain names because they’re playing with “house money”. If someone buys a domain for one bitcoin today, it’s worth tens of thousands of dollars (whatever the current price is) to the seller, but the buyer might have only paid a few hundred dollars for that bitcoin years ago. So it doesn’t seem as expensive to the buyer.

The second reason crypto appreciation has boosted domain sales is that companies that offer crypto-related services are buying domain names for their businesses.

Types of domains

What types of crypto-related domain names have value, and how can you take advantage of this trend? Here are some examples.

Exchange terms

Domain names with the letter x rarely sell for much because few words in the English language include the letter. But x is short for exchange, and the right domains ending in x have value for this reason.

In addition to just x, domains with DEX in them are popular. DEX is short for decentralized exchange. 

A recent dex-related domain sale was NFTDEX.com for $25,000. 

ETH and other coin names/abbreviations

Domains that include the names of popular cryptocurrencies are selling like hotcakes. 

Ether, the cryptocurrency for the Ethereum blockchain, is abbreviated ETH. Since April, ETH.gg sold for $50,000 and ETH.co sold for a whopping $300,000. (This shows another thing about cryptocurrency companies: they often use extensions other than .COM)

BTC.com, which is short for bitcoin, sold for $1 million in 2014, and BTCexchange.com sold for $55,000 in 2019. BitcoinPoker.com sold for $65,000 last year.

NFTs

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are very popular right now. NFTs are unique assets on a blockchain, such as a piece of digital art. 

In March, the artist Beeple sold a digital collage for $69 million at a Christie’s auction. And collectors are snapping up NBA Top Shots, which are like basketball cards on a blockchain.

Donuts, a domain registry that manages hundreds of top-level domains, including .GURU and .MONEY, reported a surge in domain registrations including NFT this year. Whereas last year perhaps a dozen or so domains were registered in any given month, people registered nearly 1,600 domains containing NFT in Donuts’ extensions in March. 

Recent aftermarket domain sales including NFT include NFT.app for $50,000, BuyNFT.com for $10,589, and the aforementioned NFTDEX.com for $25,000.

NFTs are often artwork, so you might also take a look at domains that use the .ART top-level domain.

Generic/dictionary words

Crypto-related companies usually buy domains related to crypto terms, but not always. 

Cryptocurrency marketplace SushiSwap bought the domain name Sushi.com. The price it paid for Sushi.com is unknown, but the exchange’s own cryptocurrency has a total value of over $1 billion as of May 21, 2021, so the company has plenty of money to spend on domains.

It appears that SushiSwap also bought the domain Pancake.com, which is the name of a rival exchange.

Source: namecheap.com

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Difference Between Trademark and Domain Name

Domain names are integral parts of businesses having any online commercial activity. Since the commercial activities on the Internet are increasing every day, the usefulness and purpose of domain names cannot be ignored. These days, domain names are not just names of websites of different entities, but serve as business identifiers and promoters. Some may refer to domain names as the online equivalents of trademarks. However, views differ on if domain names should be given the same treatment under law as trademarks.

1. Trade Mark:

A trade name is a name used to register a business as a legal entity within the state where it operates. Usually, this is often done at the Secretary of State or the Department of Corporations, or an identical state-run agency. A trade name must be unique within the state where it is registered. The trade name is additionally registered with the interior Revenue Service for purposes of federal tax laws. 

A trademark can be a sign or symbol which represents graphically and it is capable of differentiating the products or services of 1 undertaking from those of other undertakings. An application for registration of a trademark shall be made to the Trade Marks Registry of the Property Department). The owner of a registered trademark has the prerogative to use the trademark in reference to the products and services that the mark is registered within the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Example:

When the officer of an organization signs an agreement, he signs it as “CFO of XYZ Corporation.” Anyone who wants to see the status of that legal entity can interrogate XYZ Corporation on the records of the year of its state. For that reason, contracts normally will state the party to the contract and include something like this: “A Delaware indebtedness company” because that information allows someone to research the status of the business.

2. Domain Name:

A domain name is an entry during a database—like a line during a spreadsheet. That entry corresponds to an online protocol address. A website name may be a website address on the web which provides you a web identity. A website name may be a human-readable Internet address, e.g, www.wilmerhale.com. It is the name that users/customers type into their Internet browsers to access your website. The proper to use a website name is regulated by name registrars.

You will obtain a website name by purchasing it from the registrar for your particular name. An application to register a website name under country code top-level domain(e.g. com.hk) or a generic top-level domain (e.g. .com) shall be made to at least one of the registrars. A website name is often registrable as a trademark if it functions to spot the source of particular goods or services.

Example:

It includes the utilization of the name on the particular pages of an internet site offering services, offline use of the name as something quite just a URL address, like the use of the name on marketing or promotional materials for services, and use of the name on the packaging for a product.

Difference Between Trademark and Domain Name:

TRADE MARK	DOMAIN NAME
A trade mark may consist of words, designs, letters, numerals, colors, the shape of goods or their packaging etc. and any combination of such signs.	A domain name must be contextual in for (e.g. www.ipd.gov.hk).
A trade mark would be registered in respect of the goods or services as classified under the Nice Classification.	A domain name does not have to be registered for a particular class of goods or services.
A registered trade mark is valid for 10 years and can be renewed for further periods of 10 years.	A domain name is only for a particular period as agreed between the registrant and the accredited registrar and these are subject to renewal.
A trade mark may not be registrable if it is different or similar to a previously registered trade mark.	A domain name is registrable if it is not different to a previously registered domain name.
A trade mark which consists exclusively of a sign or a symbol which describes the characteristics for the applied-of goods or services may not be registrable. Symbols such as “fresh bread” in respect of bakery services.	A domain name may describe the features of the application-of goods or services, e.g. “freshbread.com” for a bakery.
Trademark operates in the real world.	Domain name operates in the cyber world.
Different people living in different countries may have the same trademark for different goods and services as it does not generally have a global impact on it.	Domain names operates at a global level and so no two companies/persons can be having the same domain name.
Trademark can refer to or linked to a specific category of a product or products line.	The domain names are not given for every single product offered by a company.
As there are no jurisdiction issues, the dispute related to a trademark can be easily settled.	As the internet is very wide and does not any any boundries, so the disputes are hard to be settled.

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