2025 Domain Investing Trends: Survey Results from the Dynadot Community
We conducted a survey asking domain investors in our community this year to understand what's actually working in today's market. We wanted to give you more insights into what successful investors are doing, what they're buying, and where the industry is heading. The full infographic is available at the bottom of the page and you can download it HERE.
Survey Overview
We surveyed 75 active domain investors from the Dynadot community to gather real insights into current strategies and trends. These aren't our theoretical recommendations; this is what successful investors are actually doing with their portfolios right now.
Our participants represent a range of experience levels and portfolio sizes. This is giving us a comprehensive view of the domain investing landscape at the end of 2025.
Disclaimer: The statistics, key findings, and conclusions presented in this article are based on the results of the survey sample. These insights may not fully represent the broader domain investing community, and as such, should be interpreted with caution. While some statements may suggest wider implications, they may not be universally applicable or accurate at scale.
If you would like to compare results from our previous survey and see where the domain investing market is headed, you can check it out here.
Survey Methodology
- Total Respondents: 75 domain investors
- Survey Period: October 2025
- Geographic Scope: Global domain investor community
- Distribution Method: Online survey distributed through the domain industry network
Respondent Profile
- 59% manage portfolios of 200+ domains
- 35% hold more than 500 domains
- Mix of professional investors, entrepreneurs, and portfolio managers
Key Findings
Top Insights:
- .COM dominates with 65% of investment - receiving 5x more attention than the next closest TLD (.ORG at 13%)
- Tech startups are your best buyers - accounting for 44% of all domain purchases, more than double any other category
- Niche beats generic - 30% of investors prioritize industry-specific domains over broad keywords
- Long-term holding wins - 48% of investors hold domains for 3+ years; only 8% flip quickly
- Buyers build, not flip - 50% of domain purchases are for starting a business, only 8% for pure resale
1. Most Investors Are Building Serious Portfolios
Here is an overview of the portfolio size taken for this survey. With 95% of investors holding 50+ domains, successful domain investing requires scale. The majority (39%) maintain 51-200 domains, while 32% have built portfolios exceeding 500 domains, and 24% have 201-500 domains.
2. People Buy Domains to Build, Not Just Flip
We asked a question about the motivation behind domain purchases. Answers reveal a lot about market dynamics and who your potential buyers are. We wanted to understand whether investors are primarily focused on quick profits or building long-term business assets.
Half of all domain purchases (50%) are for starting a business or brand, with another 25% for personal projects. Only 8% are buying purely for resale.
Why this matters: Investors are carefully listening to the market pulse, and that’s why their focus is on the quality of the names that are useful for small businesses. They spend time researching the economic trends to gain insights into how to approach domain name choice.
3. Niche Domains Are Winning
We asked investors what types of domains they prioritize to understand which categories are seeing the most success and investment attention. We wanted to learn more about the strategy they use.
Our survey results say that industry-specific domains lead at 30%, followed by brandable names at 24%. Aged premium .COM domains capture 21% of investment focus.
Why this matters: Investors are following end-user demand. Startups seek memorable brand names, tech companies hunt AI-related terms, and established businesses pay premiums for aged domains with clean histories and SEO authority.
4. .COM Still Dominates (By a Lot)
With hundreds of new top-level domains (TLDs) entering the market, we wanted to know which extensions investors are actually betting on with their money. The results reveal that: .COM receives 65% of investor attention, 5 times more than its closest competitor (.ORG at 13%).
Why this matters: These responses signal that businesses and end users still perceive .COM as the most trusted domain extension. The demand for premium and quality .COM domains remain high, and investors continue to observe the market carefully.
5. AI Adoption Is Split Down the Middle
The community is split almost 50/50 on AI adoption. With 51% investors using AI minimally or not at all, and with 49% actively integrating it. Those using AI focus primarily on valuation, name generation, and trend identification.
Why this matters: There's a disconnect between future expectations and present behavior. Half of the community adopted AI for competitive analysis, valuation modeling, and buyer targeting. A combination of the usage of AI tools and experience is more likely to yield better results than the traditional approach to domain investing.
6. Domain Marketplaces Are Essential, Everything Else Is Optional
Domain marketplaces and expired domain services (auctions) are "Always Used" by 37% of investors, more than any other tool. ChatGPT/AI assistants and keyword/SEO tools got 31% answers. Other sales tools, such as sales history tools (like NameBio) and domain evaluation, are used frequently (28% and 24% respectively).
7. What Investors Want to Learn More About
Investors want to learn about TLD trends (23%), DNS/nameservers/landing pages (20%), and AI tools (18%). Their interest in branding & naming best practices is also high (17%), and marketplace and tools comparison (15%).
8. Most Investors Avoid Legal Issues (And You Should Too)
Legal disputes around domains can be costly and time-consuming. We surveyed investors about their experiences with trademark disputes, cybersquatting claims, and other legal challenges. We tried to understand how common these issues are and how to avoid them.
While 1 in 5 investors has faced legal challenges (20%), 52% actively take precautions and successfully avoid problems. Only 25% aren't concerned about potential issues.
Why this matters: Brands become more aggressive in protecting their trademarks online, and investors must conduct their research. A single legal issue can cost thousands in legal fees and result in a forced domain transfer.
9. Patience Pays: Long-Term Holding Is the Top Strategy
We asked investors about their post-purchase strategy and how long they hold domains. We wanted to understand whether successful investors are flipping quickly or playing the long game.
Nearly half (48%) of investors hold domains for 3+ years, while 25% hold for 1-3 years. Only 8% focus on quick flipping.
Why this matters: These data reflect market maturity. There is always a high demand for valuable, premium domain names. These domains grow their value over time, so that’s why successful domain investing requires a lot of patience. Great opportunities come for good domains, and timing is very important.
10. What Are Your Best Domain Buyers?
The best domain buyers are tech startups and tech companies, as they account for 44% of buying activity, which is more than double the next category (local businesses at 20%). Brand agencies are in the third spot in this category (with 13%), followed by affiliate marketers or SEO specialists (12%), and a notable number of Web3/crypto projects (10%).
Why this matters: The startup boom (especially in AI, SaaS, and crypto) has created insatiable demand for memorable domain names. These buyers prioritize brand identity and are willing to pay premiums for the right match. This opens new opportunities for domain investors, as there are new popular domain extensions with a very high availability ( such as .AI, .IO, .TECH).
11. Key Trends for the Next 3 Years
Understanding where the industry is headed helps investors position their portfolios for future demand. We asked investors to rate the importance of emerging trends to see which developments will shape the domain market through 2028.
Survey Results:
- Growth of non-.com TLDs: "Moderately important" - 28 responses (37%)
- Decline in keyword domain demand: "Slightly important" - 28 responses (37%)
- Stricter IP enforcements/regulations: "Moderately important" - 27 responses (36%)
- Domain tokenization/blockchain domains: "Moderately important" - 22 responses (29%)
- AI integration in valuation/search: "Moderately/Very important" - 20 responses (27%)
12. Community Connections Create Opportunities
61% of investors find networking at least somewhat valuable, with 29% reporting that they learn strategies and complete deals through connections. Top events include NamesCon and Domain Days.
Your Action Plan
Based on our survey of 75 Dynadot community investors, here's what to focus on:
✓ Prioritize .COM domains in niche industries or with brandable potential
✓ Build a diversified portfolio of 50+ domains, not just a handful
✓ Target tech startups and growing businesses as your ideal buyers
✓ Plan to hold domains 3+ years for maximum appreciation
✓ Research trademarks carefully to avoid legal headaches
✓ Use domain marketplaces as your primary research tool
✓ Experiment with AI tools to stay ahead of the curve
✓ Connect with the community through events and forums
Conclusion
The data from our Dynadot community survey reveals a clear picture: successful domain investing in 2025 requires patience, scale, and strategic focus. There is a smaller number of investors who use fast flipping strategies. Today's winning investors build substantial portfolios of niche-specific and brandable .COM domains. They hold them for years and target tech startups as their primary buyers.
The domain name industry is evolving rapidly. AI adoption is pretty high with the potential to grow even more. Trademark enforcement is tightening, and technical skills are becoming increasingly important. But the fundamentals remain strong: .COM dominates, quality matters more than quantity, and buyers want domains to build businesses, not just speculate.
Hopefully, these insights from 75 active investors will provide a roadmap for success. The question isn't whether domain investing still works, because our community proves it does. The question is whether you're willing to adopt the strategies that are working right now.
Ready to build your domain portfolio? Start with these proven strategies from investors in the Dynadot community who are already succeeding.
This survey was conducted by Dynadot in November 2025 with 75 active domain investors from our community. All data and insights are original research from the Dynadot team.
All data was self-reported and collected with consent for public research and industry analysis.
FAQs
Is domain investing still profitable in 2025?
Yes, domain investing remains profitable in 2025, but the strategy has evolved. According to our survey of 75 active investors, 95% maintain portfolios of 50+ domains, and 73% hold domains for at least 1 year before selling. The most successful approach focuses on .COM domains (65% of investment activity), niche-specific names over generic keywords, and targeting tech startups.
What types of domains should I invest in for 2025?
Focus on niche and industry-specific .COM domains with brandable potential. Our survey shows 30% of investors prioritize niche domains, 24% focus on brandable names, and .COM 5 times more investments than any other extension. Tech startups are the largest buyer segment at 44%, so you can try this strategy of acquiring domains that appeal to SaaS companies and growing businesses.
What should I avoid when buying domains?
Always research trademarks before purchasing to avoid legal issues. While 20% of surveyed investors have faced legal challenges, 52% successfully avoid problems by taking precautions. Never buy domains that infringe on obvious brand names or celebrity identities.
Complete Infographic