OpenAI, Google and Meta battle for AI internet domains as crypto firms target .bitcoin and .wallet

OpenAI, Google, and Meta are competing for AI-related internet domains as cryptocurrency firms pursue their own digital naming rights.

The three technology companies are among 13 applicants seeking control of the .agent domain extension, making it one of the most contested names in the latest expansion of the internet's address system.

The competition emerged after the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) revealed 1,615 applications on Oct. 7, marking the first application round for new generic top-level domains since 2012.

OpenAI submitted applications for 15 extensions, including .agent, .agi, .asi, .gpt, .model, .skill, .voice and .mcp, according to the application records.

Alphabet's Google is competing for several of the same names, including .agent and .mcp, while Meta is pursuing .agent alongside extensions associated with its artificial intelligence products.

The competition extends beyond individual brands. Seven applicants are seeking .agi, a reference to artificial general intelligence, while five applications target .mcp, the abbreviation for Model Context Protocol, a standard developed by Anthropic for connecting AI applications with external tools and data.

Anthropic itself applied for just two extensions, .anthropic and .claudeleaving the contested .mcp name to other applicants.

The applications reflect how technology companies are positioning themselves for a future in which AI agents increasingly interact with websites, software services and potentially financial infrastructure.

Operating a successful top-level domain registry could allow a company to manage registrations and collect fees for addresses using that extension, subject to ICANN's rules.

The financial stakes can be substantial. Each standard application carries a $227,000 evaluation fee, and competition for particularly valuable names could eventually lead to auctions.

Google's registry subsidiary paid $25 million to secure .app in a 2015 ICANN auction, illustrating how expensive contested extensions can become.

Crypto firms join the fight for internet naming rights

The competition has also drawn cryptocurrency companies seeking extensions associated with digital assets, blockchain networks and online payments.

ICANN's preliminary contention data shows 11 applications for .bit, making it one of the most contested individual names alongside .agent.

Five applicants are seeking.crypto, while .wallet and .dao attracted four applications each. The .bitcoin, .btc and .nft extensions each received two applications.

The interest reflects an effort to secure naming infrastructure that could eventually connect conventional internet addresses with blockchain-based identities and financial services.

The Cardano Foundation said on Oct. 8 that its application for .ada was advancing to the next stage of ICANN's process, potentially bringing the blockchain's name into the global internet domain system.

Frax Finance also disclosed an application for.frax, outlining ambitions to connect internet naming with on-chain ownership, payments and AI-driven commerce.

The applications introduce another dimension to the emerging competition between AI and crypto infrastructure providers, particularly as autonomous software increasingly gains the ability to initiate payments and interact with digital wallets.

However, approval of a crypto-related domain would not automatically enable blockchain transactions or wallet functionality. Such services would require additional technical integrations.

None of the contested domains has been awarded.