A list of domain registrars that accept Bitcoin and Ethereum

The crypto market is bearish but that does not stop people from paying their transactions with crypto, and if you are thinking about paying for a domain registration with Bitcoin or Ethereum then this article is for you.

However, only a smaller number of domain registrar companies provide domain registrations with bitcoin, ethereum or other crypto currencies and we have made an effort to investigate for you, where you are able to register domains with Bitcoin and Ethereum, coupled with our suggestions.

Naturally, a question arises, is it possible to make a secure and reliable domain registration with Bitcoin and/or Ethereum? Is registering a domain with cryptocurrency a complicated process? Can it be done by anyone or are there some specific requirements?

We would like to shed some light on these topics and provide you with some very useful information, as we do have experience and knowledge first-hand.

A list of domain registrars that accept crypto currencies as payment for domains

We understand that some of our readers may be looking for a quick-and-dirty answer and for them specifically we have prepared a list of our recommended domain registrars that accept crypto currencies:

1. IstanCo – gTLD and ccTLD domain registrar that accepts Bitcoin and BitCoin Cash crypto currencies globally

2. Namecheap – domain registrar know for cheap domain registration prices, accepts Bitcoin 

3. Namesilo – domain registration focused company, accepts Bitcoin 

4. Porkbun – domain and hosting company, accepts Bitcoin and BitCoin Cash

5. Domains4bitcoins – domain and hosting company, accepts Bitcoin

6. iDotz – domain registrar, accepts Bitcoin 

7. Loving Domains – domain company focused on select crypto domains, accepts Bitcoin 

8. Peername – domain company focused on select crypto domains, accepts Bitcoin 

9. NiceNIC – domain registrar for multiple global domain name service zones

10. XtraOrbit – domain registrar with lowest registration prices guaranteed

Besides this shortlist, in the article we will provide our hands-on experience, with more in-depth information, a kind of review based on feature points, and the specific reasons why you might consider them, but first we would like to discuss how and why you should use Bitcoin or Ethereum for domain purchase.

Advantages and disadvantages of using cryptocurrency for domain purchase

The main advantage of using Bitcoin, Ethereum or other crypto for domain purchase is that you can make an instant transaction, without having to wait for permission (from any bank card operator or payment platform) with anyone globally.

However, more importantly, when paying for example with Visa or PayPal you would have to pay them a commission (transaction fee) and if you choose to make the transaction with crypto, since there are no intermediaries, you avoid high transaction fees or exchange expenses. 

Because there is no middleman, the transaction is actually cheaper.

We are not biased and want to provide you with accurate information, hence we must note the main disadvantage of using crypto currency which is – since there is no regulatory middleman if at any point of the transaction you make a mistake and direct funds to a 3rd party by error, it is not possible to reverse or withhold the transaction.

Hence we would recommend that you use devices that support QR code reading for the recipient wallet address to minimize the possibility of error.

How to make a domain registration with Bitcoin and Ethereum?

Until recently, if you owned any form of cryptocurrency, in order to register a domain with your preferred domain registrar, you would first have to exchange it into dollars, euros or other local currency.

Now that many cryptocurrencies are accepted by various online platforms, including but not only PayPal, you can have your domain registered with Bitcoin or Bitcoin Cash, for example.

To make such domain registration, you would need to go to the website of a domain registrar that accepts one of those crypto currencies, choose a domain, and follow up the domain purchase with a few simple steps with instructions on the site.

Actually, it is a very simple process, much like any other online purchase but instead of using a credit card (this is the only difference) you would provide funds through a crypto currency wallet.

What are the requirements for making a domain registration with crypto currency?

Talking about  the requirements when making a domain registration with crypto currency, naturally, you will need a crypto currency wallet with enough funds (Bitcoin, ETH or other preferred) as this is the main difference between a traditional online purchase made with a bank (credit/debit) card that would provide necessary funds.

One requirement that you do not have to necessarily conform to, when registering a domain with crypto currency, is to provide accurate and legitimate information (name, address, email .. etc.), as when necessary a retrieval of domain ownership will require you to use that information to verify ownership.

Can a domain registration with bitcoin and ethereum be made by anyone?

The short answer is yes. However, you should be aware of the specific domain registration requirements or limitations, as some domains require you to be a resident of the country, or even citizenship, to be able to register a domain name with their domain extension.

However, capable domain registrars that provide their service online and accept crypto currency as payment for domain registration will make sure that they add options for trustee service, which will enable them to provide such domain registration service to virtually anyone.

Should you be favoring any specific crypto when registering a domain?

Granted, currently, there are hundreds of crypto currencies and only a smaller number of them are well-established hence they should be the ones that you should be favoring, and holding with your crypto wallet for domain registration.

Our personal experience shows that Bitcoin, Ethereum and Bitcoin Cash are the most versatile crypto currencies for domain registration as they are widely used and accepted by more domain registrar companies.

IstanCo domain registrar and hosting services

Istanco is our number one suggestion for a few reasons, first of all because currently they provide domain registration with Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash crypto currencies, which are currently the most popular ones, especially the latter for its very low transaction fees.

Another reason to choose Istanco is because of their 99,9% uptime for their servers providing user control panel (cPanel) functionality, meaning you will be able to handle and manage your domains virtually any time.

Besides domain registration, Istanco also provides web hosting services which can also be purchased with Bitcoin or Bitcoin Cash.

Lastly, the main reason you would want to make crypto domain registration and manage your domains with them is because their services are completely staff-services and any issues reported via ticket or email will be handled by staff members (and not automatic chat bots as some bigger companies would).

Namecheap – cheap domain registration prices

One of the domain registrars that is most renowned for cheap domain registration is of course Namecheap as their company branding is such, and this is the main reason why we have added them to our short-list.

Namely, they are one of ICANN-accredited domain registrars and among the first to accept Bitcoin as payment, and though with current instability in the crypto market some domain registrars have pulled the plug on Bitcoin domain registration, they will accept such payments.

Besides crypto, they also accept all mainstream payment channels such as PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.

Namesilo – domain registration focused company

Operating since the year 2000 and having an excellent reputation among users, Namesilo is the second large domain registrar that introduced Bitcoin payments for domain registration.

Main reason why we feel we must add Namesilo to this list is because the company is primarily focused on domain registration, and they are one of the long-running companies in the domain industry.

Porkbun – domain registration focused company

Porkbun has somewhat of a unique company image with their overall presentation standing out, a humorous simulacrum of pork can be seen everywhere on their website.

Not necessarily a bad thing, investing effort in a unique advertising is an effort that shows they are willing to try different things to cater to their customers.

However, the most important thing is that they too accept Bitcoin as payment for domain registration and services, and provide a traditional set of free premium services with every domain, hence saving you some money here and there.

Domains4bitcoins – domain and hosting company, accepts Bitcoin

Domains4bitcoins is a website that offers domain registration for 480 or more top-level domains including gTLDs and ccTLDs, and of course they accept Bitcoin as payment.

Initially their prices seem low, though in our experience, renewal prices are unrealistically low and it could be just the way they market their products to new customers, while later renewal prices could be substantially higher to compensate for profits.

Besides registering and/or transferring a domain to them, you will not find much else regarding domains on their homepage, which may be enough for most users.

iDotz – domain registrar, accepts Bitcoin

A domain registrar with a comprehensive domain registration portfolio offering over 600 domain extensions including ngTLDs, operating from the US, and they accept Bitcoin as payment.

On the main part of their homepage you will be greeted with a “Buy a domain here” message and a field where you can enter a domain name and check its availability, which means business as they are a full service registrar.

Loving Domains – domain company focused on select crypto domains, accepts Bitcoin

A domain registrar with mediocre domain registration pricing, and a set of free services that are mostly standard for their service tier, including Mail Forwards, Theft Protection, Domain Forwarding, DNS Management, Bulk Tools and Easy to use Control Panel.

Regarding their domain registration via crypto, as expected, they accept Bitcoin, and promise to “create your online identity in minutes”.

Peername – domain company focused on select crypto domains, accepts Bitcoin

A domain registrar boasting decentralized blockchain-based domains registration, you will find domain extensions such as .bit, .coin and .bazar with them.

Bear in mind that “decentralized” domains, most likely .bazar domains, are popular with dark web sites that may trade in illegal goods.

As a domain registrar themselves, PeerName holds an average reputation with their clients, hence we can recommend them as they provide very niche domain extensions which you most likely will not find with other companies.

NiceNIC – domain registrar with moto “Keep Keep Internet Simple Stupid” (KISS)

Before we end our listing, we would like to mention another domain registrar that provides domain registration and accepts Bitcoin – the NiceNIC that wants you to pay while they do everything else according to their moto “let’s Keep Internet Simple Stupid!”

Now, before you go ballistic over such a moto, please bear in mind that they are a Hong Kong based domain registrar covering a wide range of domain names (ICANN, CNNIC, HKIRC, gTLDs, ccTLD, newgTLDs) and while this kind of marketing may sound ridiculous with western customers, it just might sound excellent to asian customers who want a simple service that just works.

Customers who talk about NiceNIC will agree that they are polite, friendly, and handle their clients with care, while I would note that some domain service prices are not the lowest on the market but I guess then they are ok if you want a premium service in that region.

XtraOrbit domains center 

A domain registrar that promotes their service value with the Free Services customers can enjoy with every domain registration, XtraOrbit also accepts Bitcoin payment among others.

In general, XtraOrbit domain service prices are ok, while not being the most expensive or the cheapest, and it is hard to make a strong case for or against them, and given that they are a company operating since 2002 we feel that they provide a valuable service.

Final thoughts and conclusion

Can you buy domains with crypto? Yes. Is it safe and secure? Buying domains with crypto is as safe as the company that is providing such services, hence you should apply online purchase best practices, by choosing a reputable domain registrar.

We will conclude by saying that as a foreign citizen, you are able to buy any domain name for a period of time, and a purchase with Bitcoin or Ethereum alleviates leaving sensitive information such as credit card number online.