debate Binance.ca

[lambo.com]

This is a twitter thread on what appears to be Binance.ca

The domain owner is being pursued by Binance. What do you think on this case?

It might be an easy victory for Binance to claim yet does the registrant have grounds for a successful defense in Canada ?

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

For the past 8 months, a billionaire exchange owner has been threatening & harassing me into giving up a domain that I’ve owned since 2017

Binance's CZ, arguably the largest proponent of decentralization, has resorted to centralized means in order to steal a domain from me:

🧵

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felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

On November 16th, 2021, @Binance executive Min Lin attempted to initiate contact with me by sending me a friend request on LinkedIn.

Min Lin is the Executive Director of Global Partnerships + Mergers and Acquisitions at Binance.

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felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

After accepting Min Lin’s connection request, Min Lin proceeded to message me in regards to acquiring a domain from me.

Note that I did not reach out to Min Lin, nor did I approach him/Binance.
Binance reached out to me of their own volition.

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felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

After responding back to Min Lin/Binance that I could be open to considering parting with my domain, Min Lin/Binance asked me for an offer.

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felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

I responded back that I’d take 420 ETH.

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felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

I responded back that I’d take 420 ETH.

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felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

I countered Binance’s offer of $6500. I wasn’t going to take that — for that price, I’d keep my domain and site.

Which was okay.
Things don’t always work out, no problem.

Until Binance decided to try and sue me and steal my domain out from under me instead.

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https://twitter.com/cryptofelon/status/1548049186582474754?t=1rsjYTeMibig3DPPD7MuFA&s=19

 

[lambo.com]

This is a twitter thread on what appears to be Binance.ca

The domain owner is being pursued by Binance. What do you think on this case?

It might be an easy victory for Binance to claim yet does the registrant have grounds for a successful defense in Canada ?

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

For the past 8 months, a billionaire exchange owner has been threatening & harassing me into giving up a domain that I’ve owned since 2017

Binance's CZ, arguably the largest proponent of decentralization, has resorted to centralized means in order to steal a domain from me:

🧵

View original Load full embed

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

On November 16th, 2021, @Binance executive Min Lin attempted to initiate contact with me by sending me a friend request on LinkedIn.

Min Lin is the Executive Director of Global Partnerships + Mergers and Acquisitions at Binance.

View original Load full embed

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

After accepting Min Lin’s connection request, Min Lin proceeded to message me in regards to acquiring a domain from me.

Note that I did not reach out to Min Lin, nor did I approach him/Binance.
Binance reached out to me of their own volition.

View original Load full embed

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

After responding back to Min Lin/Binance that I could be open to considering parting with my domain, Min Lin/Binance asked me for an offer.

View original Load full embed

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

I responded back that I’d take 420 ETH.

View original Load full embed

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

I responded back that I’d take 420 ETH.

View original Load full embed

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

I countered Binance’s offer of $6500. I wasn’t going to take that — for that price, I’d keep my domain and site.

Which was okay.
Things don’t always work out, no problem.

Until Binance decided to try and sue me and steal my domain out from under me instead.

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https://twitter.com/cryptofelon/status/1548049186582474754?t=1rsjYTeMibig3DPPD7MuFA&s=19

Sentiment check

 

[capybara]

This is so lame, registering a non-dictionary word after a startup with the same name appears and then pretending its just a coincidence and really there was a [different] idea behind the registration. The landing page literally screams "I am dumb cybersquatter".

 

[Gabriel360]

The guy is obviously cybersquatting. He wants a million dollar and he's still trying to claim he isn't specifically targeting the company.

Plus, the landing page is fifty shades of dumb.

Hope he gets whooped in court.

A lot of people think billionaires (people and companies) should throw money around just because they're billionaires.

 

[Wesley S]

well he did create the domain binance.ca on - Created on 2017-10-27

while binance (inc?) filed for their trademark on January 22, 2019 and was not published til June 9, 2020

https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4808:hptlw1.2.4

i think with this information he could easily get what he is asking for the domain. ty.

the other live tm was filed on March 16, 2018

 

[NYJimbo]

"I responded back that I’d take 420 ETH."

Stupid and greedy. If they offer 6500, counter with 20k. He would probably end up with $13k. Nice money. He is an idiot. Hope he loses and has to pay Binances legal fees.

 

[jhm]

30 BTC (big lol)...cybersquatting at its finest

 

[Wesley S]

true he shouldve taken the offer, but he still has a semivaluable domain anyway. Let their be fair negotiations for it and continue. Quit trying to steal domains or bully. ty.

 

[topdom]

Hope he will win or sell. Winning is difficult, but winning udrp would not be a victory for Binance either.
Binance should offer 10K or sue otherwise. So simple.

 

[FolioTeam]

This is a twitter thread on what appears to be Binance.ca

The domain owner is being pursued by Binance. What do you think on this case?

It might be an easy victory for Binance to claim yet does the registrant have grounds for a successful defense in Canada ?

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

For the past 8 months, a billionaire exchange owner has been threatening & harassing me into giving up a domain that I’ve owned since 2017

Binance's CZ, arguably the largest proponent of decentralization, has resorted to centralized means in order to steal a domain from me:

🧵

View original Load full embed

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

On November 16th, 2021, @Binance executive Min Lin attempted to initiate contact with me by sending me a friend request on LinkedIn.

Min Lin is the Executive Director of Global Partnerships + Mergers and Acquisitions at Binance.

View original Load full embed

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

After accepting Min Lin’s connection request, Min Lin proceeded to message me in regards to acquiring a domain from me.

Note that I did not reach out to Min Lin, nor did I approach him/Binance.
Binance reached out to me of their own volition.

View original Load full embed

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

After responding back to Min Lin/Binance that I could be open to considering parting with my domain, Min Lin/Binance asked me for an offer.

View original Load full embed

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

I responded back that I’d take 420 ETH.

View original Load full embed

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

I responded back that I’d take 420 ETH.

View original Load full embed

felon @cryptofelon July 15, 2022

I countered Binance’s offer of $6500. I wasn’t going to take that — for that price, I’d keep my domain and site.

Which was okay.
Things don’t always work out, no problem.

Until Binance decided to try and sue me and steal my domain out from under me instead.

View original Load full embed

https://twitter.com/cryptofelon/status/1548049186582474754?t=1rsjYTeMibig3DPPD7MuFA&s=19

I can say this: Binance.com was in operation as at June/July 2017. On the other hand, Binance.ca was registered months after in October of the same year.

Additionally, Binance is what I would call a brandable name and not generic at all.

Most of us here know that the word realtor is trademarked and that they defend their mark aggressively. Yet, some sold names in this niche have also been reported. Personally, I think it's risky behavior registering them. I usually steer clear of such names even when I see some sales data on them.

Registering such names when there's an obvious trademark, in my opinion, is just inviting trouble. Now, if he had registered Binance.ca in 2015/2016, we would be discussing a different case today.

I think Binance might have a case if they pursue it.

PS: Note that I am not a lawyer of any kind. So, my personal opinion on this should not be construed as legal advice.

 

[Wesley S]

I can say this: Binance.com was in operation as at June/July 2017. On the other hand, Binance.ca was registered months after in October of the same year.

Additionally, Binance is what I would call a brandable name and not generic at all.

Most of us here know that the word realtor is trademarked and that they defend their mark aggressively. Yet, some sold names in this niche have also been reported. Personally, I think it's risky behavior registering them. I usually steer clear of such names even when I see some sales data on them.

Registering such names when there's an obvious trademark, in my opinion, is just inviting trouble. Now, if he had registered Binance.ca in 2015/2016, we would be discussing a different case today.

I think Binance might have a case if they pursue it.

PS: Note that I am not a lawyer of any kind. So, my personal opinion on this should not be construed as legal advice.

yes but their published tm didnt come thru til 2018 and 2020.

 

[FolioTeam]

yes but their published tm didnt come thru til 2018 and 2020.

There's what is called common law trademark which has been mentioned on this forum severally by @jberryhill and others

Definition:

A common law trademark is a trademark established solely through use in commerce in a specific geographical area. Business names, logos, and phrases that are regularly used–even though they have never been federally registered–can all be considered common law trademarks.

The Binance trademark application process might have been completed in 2018 like you said but they were already using it in commerce as far back as 2017 before the Binance.ca registration.

 

[Wesley S]

There's what is called common law trademark which has been mentioned on this forum severally by @jberryhill and others

Definition:

A common law trademark is a trademark established solely through use in commerce in a specific geographical area. Business names, logos, and phrases that are regularly used–even though they have never been federally registered–can all be considered common law trademarks.

The Binance trademark application process might have been completed in 2018 like you said but they were already using it in commerce as far back as 2017 before the Binance.ca registration.

Awesome. Ty.

 

[cooljub]

Is this the chap who held out for $450k in negotiations on a .us crypto name not so long ago?

 

[FolioTeam]

Is this the chap who held out for $450k in negotiations on a .us crypto name not so long ago?

Yes

 

[enterscope]

I mean, Binance.ca is no where near worth 1 million USD. And we all know he has no intentions of developing this name. Let's be real. Either way, unless he was actually infringing on the mark then it's fair game.

It's not trademark infringement to sell a domain.

Also, $6500 was a fair offer, IMO.

 

[Andr3w]

It's worth mentioning that this isn't the first rodeo for this guy, having sold a .us crypto domain name (most likely another crypto company name) for $435k just a few months ago.

felon @cryptofelon April 28, 2022

how i bought a crypto domain for $16,
told a multi-billion dollar CEX to kick rocks,

and negotiated my way from a $500 offer to selling it for half a million dollars:

🧵

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[HotKey]

30 BTC (big lol)...cybersquatting at its finest

Exactly. There's only one Binance, what does this chap hope to do with the dot-ca of it? As NYJimbo said.. greed. This is a one-of-a-kind brandable term, with no generic meaning. This kind of case, I cannot support the registrant on any sort of genuine grounds they had on registering the domain.

Dot-ca's aren't exactly exciting extensions anyways (and I'm from Canada) and isn't this the optimal scenario we look to as investors to have someone reach out to us with a solid offer?

Registrant is dreaming.

 

[jhm]

Exactly. There's only one Binance, what does this chap hope to do with the dot-ca of it? As NYJimbo said.. greed. This is a one-of-a-kind brandable term, with no generic meaning. This kind of case, I cannot support the registrant on any sort of genuine grounds they had on registering the domain.

Dot-ca's aren't exactly exciting extensions anyways (and I'm from Canada) and isn't this the optimal scenario we look to as investors to have someone reach out to us with a solid offer?

Registrant is dreaming.

Yep. As @NYJimbo pointed out, if he said you what I'd do the deal at $20k right now, and found compromise in-between or at figure...they'd probably pay. Since he's high balling, they'll wait for him to reflect on his silly asking price

 

[Bob Hawkes]

I don't know more of the history, but interesting that according to Google ngram viewer (measures popularity of words from scanned Google Books) the term binance, while far from common anytime, was more popular in 1830 than it was in 2019 (and also marginally more popular from 1920-1930).

https://books.google.com/ngrams/gra...=3&direct_url=t1;,binance;,c0#t1;,binance;,c0