How to value top level domain names for ".influencer"

[spm]

A

 

[bmugford]

What even is this extension?

I am pretty sure it is not an ICANN extension, so I assume it is an alternative extension on some blockchain.

I don't see why it would have any value. Even if it was an ICANN extension, influencers would choose a different (better) option.

Brad

 

[MKA]

Having a difficult time valuing individual domain names for top level domain ".influencer" - specifically what each domain name with ".influencer" should be valued/priced at.

0. The answer is always 0.

Like mentioned above, it's a blockchain domain, not an ICANN domain. Why is this an issue?

1. While you can't have two different kim.influencer domains registered on e.g. Handshake (HNS), there's nothing preventing another user registering another kim.influencer on Unstoppable Domains (UD). Meaning two (or more) different people can own the same root domain.
2. HNS and UD (which ironically uses .org and .com domains) in particular rely on Proof-of-Work (PoW), which even the Ethereum blockchain is moving away from.
3. Blockchain domains are incompatible with most hosting providers and the functions they offer, making them extremely difficult to set up a site on.
4. Since they don't use the http-protocol they're impossible to access on conventional browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, etc.) without external plug-ins, and Search Engines won't feature them.
5. The people who use or browser blockchain domains are vulnerable to attacks by hackers, because they're trusting the site (and the software that they installed to browser the site) to not have any vulnerabilities, back-doors, or being a scam in the first place.
6. Not even crypto enthusiasts use blockchain domains for their sites, they use domains managed by ICANN (usually .io or .xyz, because they look tech-savvy).
7. All blockchain DNS have clauses in their contracts that allow for fees to be retroactively imposed on the owner of the domain, it's also not uncommon for them to include clauses reserving the right take your domain from you for any reason.
8. Blockchains domain rely on centralizaton, defeating the purpose altogether.

 

[Revisiting]

Reading what Astner has posted should this even be called a 'Domain' Reads more like a simple access code for those with the browser extension.. It sounds like something anybody (with the knowledge base) could set up.

 

[MKA]

Reading what Astner has posted should this even be called a 'Domain' Reads more like a simple access code for those with the browser extension.. It sounds like something anybody (with the knowledge base) could set up.

The idea is that these services serve as the DNS root and the DNS provider, and map a link in your wallet to a domain you choose to register with them. They then provide a few lines of code that can be used to write plug-ins for browsers to forward users (using those plug-ins) to them, and then to whatever server you set chose to direct it to. In this sense it technically is a "domain."

This of course means that you can't use any hosting service but only those that give you sufficient freedom to set it up, e.g. a VPS or a dedicated machine. It also means that you can't use basic security features like SSL. It's further worth mentioning that these services don't have the robust infrastructure of something like Cloudflare's DNS, slowing your site down and making it an easy target for hackers.

The worst domain you could register with ICANN should be more valuable than the best domain you could register on the blockchain...I say "should" because while a blockchain domain is a lot less useful, someone might be hoodwinked into buying one as an investment.