Quick answer
Why does .ai require a 2-year minimum?
A .ai domain needs a 2-year minimum because the registry of Anguilla's country code sets it, for new registrations and for renewals, and registrars must apply it. At BuyDomainsCrypto, .ai costs $81.99/year, so the first payment covers two years: 2 × $81.99. You pay in crypto, with no KYC; WHOIS privacy is free.
.ai at a glance
| Type | Country-code TLD (ccTLD) of Anguilla |
|---|---|
| Registry | Government of Anguilla, operated by Identity Digital |
| Minimum term | 2 years, for registration and for renewal |
| Maximum term | 10 years |
| Price at BuyDomainsCrypto | $81.99/year; first payment for 2 years: 2 × $81.99 |
| Renewal | $81.99/year, at least 2 years per renewal |
| Who can register | Anyone: no residency rule |
| WHOIS privacy at BuyDomainsCrypto | Free |
| Payment | Crypto only: BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC |
Why is .ai sold two years at a time?
Because the .ai registry requires it. A registry sets the rules of its extension, and the .ai registry sets a minimum term of 2 years for new names and for renewals.
Registrars cannot sell a shorter term. That is why most .ai prices are shown per year but charged for two years. Compare the yearly price, not the first invoice.
.ai is the country-code TLD of Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is open to anyone worldwide, and it is popular with AI companies, models, tools and agents.
How much does a .ai domain cost for two years?
Two years at the yearly price. At BuyDomainsCrypto:
- First payment: 2 × $81.99, for 2 years.
- Each renewal: at least 2 years, at $81.99 a year.
- Five years at once: first year $81.99 + 4 years at $81.99.
Top up enough balance for at least two years before you order, or the order waits for the top-up. WHOIS privacy is free. All prices are on the pricing page and on the .ai extension page.
.ai price per year at registrars that accept crypto
As of 8 October 2026, per each registrar's pricing page or the named aggregator. Prices are per year; most registrars bill two years at a time.
| Registrar | First term, per year | Renewal, per year | Transfer | Crypto accepted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BuyDomainsCrypto | $81.99 | $81.99 | $81.99 a year | BTC, USDT (TRC-20, ERC-20), USDC (ERC-20), ETH, SOL, LTC |
| Porkbun | $82.70 | $82.70 | $165.09 (2 years) | USDC via Coinbase Business |
| Dynadot | $85.60 | $85.60 | $171.20 (2 years) | BTC, USDC, USDT, coins via BitPay |
| Namecheap | $84.18 | $92.18 | — | BTC, as an account top-up |
| Njalla | about $84.39 (€75) | about $84.39 (€75) | — | BTC, LTC, XMR, ETH |
| NameSilo | $98.99 | $99.99 | — | BTC; ETH, LTC, USDT, USDC via Nicky |
| Gandi | $112.06 | $179.76 | — | BTC, ETH, BCH via BitPay |
| Cloudflare Registrar (at cost) | $80.00 | $80.00 | — | No crypto documented |
| Spaceship | $79.98 | $79.98 | — | Not confirmed |
| Epik | $74.95 | $74.95 | — | Not confirmed in 2026 |
Prices checked on
Porkbun and Dynadot per their pricing pages, Cloudflare per cfdomainpricing.com, the others per domainoffer.net (prices updated 8 October 2026; Namecheap includes the $0.20 ICANN fee). Njalla converted from euros at domainoffer's rate. "Not confirmed": we found no primary page confirming crypto payments.
Does a .ai transfer also cost two years?
At most registrars, yes. As of 8 October 2026, per their pricing pages, Porkbun charged $165.09 and Dynadot $171.20 to transfer a .ai, about two years of their yearly price.
At BuyDomainsCrypto, the .ai transfer price is $81.99/year, charged for each year the registry adds. Read the transfer guide before you start: unlock the domain and get its auth code at your current registrar.
Is a .ai domain worth two years of payment?
If the name is your product's main address, usually yes. For a test project, a cheaper extension may be enough.
- .ai suits AI products, models and agents: the extension itself says what you do.
- .io costs $32.99/year the first year, with a 1-year minimum; see is .io safe in 2026.
- .com costs $11.49/year, the same to renew.
- .app and .dev start at $8.49/year and $8.49/year, with HTTPS required.
The startup extensions are compared on domains for Web3 startups.
.ai and its alternatives
Prices per year in US dollars. The restrictions column shows the .ai 2-year minimum.
| Extension | 1st year | Renewal | Transfer | WHOIS privacy | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .ai | $81.99 | $81.99 | $81.99 | Free | min. 2 years |
| .io | $32.99 | $50.49 | $50.49 | Free | None |
| .com | $11.49 | $11.49 | $11.49 | Free | None |
| .app | $8.49 | $14.49 | $14.49 | Free | HTTPS required |
| .dev | $8.49 | $12.49 | $12.49 | Free | HTTPS required |
| .xyz | $11.49 | $11.49 | $11.49 | Free | None |
How to buy a .ai domain with crypto
Search the name
Type the name in the domain search and check that the .ai is free.
Choose 2 years or more
Pick 2 to 10 years. The cart shows the total for the years chosen.
Top up in crypto
Top up at least the cart total, in BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC. The exchange rate is locked for 30 minutes.
Use your .ai
The domain is registered usually within minutes of the top-up being credited; a few extensions take a few hours. Then set its DNS records or your own nameservers in My domains.
Search a .ai name
Popular extensions
.ai 2-year minimum: FAQ
Can I register a .ai domain for one year?
No. The .ai registry sets a minimum term of 2 years, and registrars cannot sell less. At BuyDomainsCrypto the price is $81.99/year, so the first payment is 2 × $81.99. You can choose more years, up to 10, in one order.
Does a .ai renewal also need two years?
Yes. The 2-year minimum applies to renewals as well as to new registrations. At BuyDomainsCrypto a .ai renews at $81.99/year, at least two years at a time. With auto-renew on, keep enough balance for two years before the expiry date.
How much is a .ai domain at BuyDomainsCrypto?
$81.99/year for the first term, $81.99/year to renew and $81.99/year to transfer, always with the 2-year registry minimum. WHOIS privacy: Free. You pay in crypto (BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC) from a balance topped up from $25, with no KYC.
Is .ai cheaper at other registrars?
Among the registrars in our 8 October 2026 check that confirm crypto payments, Porkbun listed the lowest yearly .ai price, $82.70. Cloudflare sells at cost ($80.00) but documents no crypto payment. Epik ($74.95) and Spaceship ($79.98) listed lower prices, but we found no primary page confirming that they accept crypto.
Who runs the .ai registry?
The Government of Anguilla is the registry of .ai, per the IANA root zone database, and Identity Digital operates it. Anyone can register a .ai name: there is no residency rule. .ai supports DNSSEC, and the registry allows WHOIS privacy services.
Can I pay for a .ai domain with USDT?
Yes. Top up your balance with USDT on Tron (TRC-20) or Ethereum (ERC-20), or with BTC, USDC, ETH, SOL or LTC, then register the .ai from it. Top up enough for two years. No ID is asked: only a working email, verified after registration as ICANN rules require.
Is WHOIS privacy available on .ai?
Yes. The .ai registry allows privacy services, although not every registrar offers one. At BuyDomainsCrypto, WHOIS privacy on .ai is free: your email stays out of the public record, and it is the only data we collect. Registrant data only goes out on a Panamanian court order, except urgent requests that ICANN rules require registrars to answer.
Sources (6)
- Root zone database: .ai — IANA (2026-10-08)
- .ai domain registration (2-year minimum) spaceship.com/domains/cctld/ai — Spaceship (2026-10-08)
- Domain pricing porkbun.com/products/domains — Porkbun (2026-10-08)
- Domain extension pricing dynadot.com/domain/tlds — Dynadot (2026-10-08)
- Cloudflare domain pricing — cfdomainpricing.com (2026-10-08)
- .ai prices across registrars — domainoffer.net (2026-10-08)
Register your .ai with crypto
.ai $81.99/year, 2 years minimum. Pay in BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC; minimum top-up $25. No KYC.