Breaking: Squarespace buys Google Domains for $180 million

[Helmuts]

holly...

Website building platform Squarespace (NYSE: SQSP) announced that it’s buying Google Domains, Google’s domain name registrar. The purchase price is $180 million, and JPMorgan Chase Bank is providing financing for part of the purchase.

more: https://domainnamewire.com/2023/06/15/squarespace-buys-google-domains-for-180-million/

 

[dee]

Seems unusual for Google to be selling a division doesn't it ? Usually they just black hole an industry and buy everything up don't they ?

 

[Helmuts]

Seems unusual for Google to be selling a division doesn't it ? Usually they just black hole an industry and buy everything up don't they ?

exactly.. very strange move.. doesn't look good for the PR of Google.

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I wish I could buy Google Domains .. out of my league for 500 years ... @Ryan Ewen, @Whois-Search, @BG, you guys?

 

[ukbackorder]

I suspect they have the seen the future now with their AI - and there is no place in it for domains. As you said they don't do anything without a (good) reason. We should enjoy the remaining few years

 

[dee]

I suspect they have the seen the future now with their AI - and there is no place in it for domains. As you said they don't do anything without a (good) reason. We should enjoy the remaining few years

How do you navigate the new AI world without some form of addressing system ? Genuine question.

 

[ukbackorder]

Neuralink
Or.. you don't. There is only one 'site' that has everything you want.
I don't think people truly understand how global society is going to radically change in the next decade.
This goes some way to explaining various scenarios.
Google clearly have no need for a domain industry in any of them.

 

[Ryan Ewen]

exactly.. very strange move.. doesn't look good for the PR of Google.

--

I wish I could buy Google Domains .. out of my league for 500 years ... @Ryan Ewen, @Whois-Search, @BG, you guys?

That would have been a great buy - i think they ended up paying $12.50 per domain

 

[dee]

That would have been a great buy - i think they ended up paying $12.50 per domain

they've got 14.4 million domains ? really ?

 

[Ryan Ewen]

they've got 14.4 million domains ? really ?

Yes 14.4m * $12.50 = $180m

 

[diablo]

they've got 14.4 million domains ? really ?

Approx 10 million according to PR and here:

https://domainnamestat.com/statistics/registrar/others

 

[DJ]

But these would be domains under management rather than domains owned I presume?

 

[diablo]

But these would be domains under management rather than domains owned I presume?

Yes, Google Domains is a Registrar. Squarespace will look to recoup its outlay through renewals and upselling its other services.

 

[dee]

Neuralink
Or.. you don't. There is only one 'site' that has everything you want.
I don't think people truly understand how global society is going to radically change in the next decade.
This goes some way to explaining various scenarios.
Google clearly have no need for a domain industry in any of them.

Everyone should watch this. Really interesting.

 

[cloud]

He hopes nobody is listening. I'm not.