Identity Digital & Deqo launch domain options platform

Identity Digital and Deqo have launched Domain Options, a platform for trading exclusive rights to market and sell selected domain names. The product covers Identity Digital domains, including .io and 16 other top-level domains.

The offering gives investors a 24-month option on a domain instead of requiring them to register and renew it outright over that period. The structure is intended to reduce the upfront cost of building a portfolio and widen access to domain investing.

Under the model, an investor pays a one-off fee for the exclusive right to market and sell a domain for two years. If a buyer is found and the option is exercised, the platform transfers the domain and holds payment until the transfer is complete. If no sale takes place within 24 months, the option lapses and the domain returns to general availability.

Option prices range from USD $20 to USD $30 for the two-year term, depending on the domain name. At launch, the service covers 17 top-level domains, including .info, .io, .studio, .bet and .live.

The companies are targeting a part of the internet economy where investors often tie up capital in registrations and renewals while waiting for buyers. By separating marketing rights from full domain ownership at the outset, the platform aims to change how investors build inventory and test demand.

Identity Digital, which supports more than 28 million domains through its registry services business, is one of the larger operators in the domain name market. Deqo is a newer company focused on software and marketplace tools for domain investors, including portfolio tracking, financial reporting, trading and registrar services.

The launch reflects a broader push to make domain investing look more like a structured asset class, with clearer cost models and transaction processes. A market forecast cited by the companies said the global domain aftermarket is expected to nearly double by 2035, although that growth depends in part on investors being able to carry inventory at manageable cost.

How it works

In practical terms, Domain Options gives investors access to ready-to-list names from the first day of the option period. Listings direct potential buyers to a designated marketplace, and transfers are completed automatically after purchase, according to the companies.

The platform also sets out the option price in advance and shows how proceeds from any eventual sale are shared between the parties. That may appeal to investors seeking more certainty over acquisition costs and exit economics before adding names to their portfolios.

The focus on .io is notable because the extension remains popular among technology companies and start-ups despite a wider cooling in parts of the digital asset market. Other namespaces in the initial launch, such as .studio and .live, suggest an effort to attract buyers and investors interested in brand-led or sector-specific web addresses.

Brian Lonergan, Vice President of Product Strategy at Identity Digital, said the company is seeing rising demand for ways into higher-value domain transactions that do not require investors to commit as much capital upfront.

"As demand continues to grow, we want to give investors more ways to identify and participate in the sale of higher-value domains," said Brian Lonergan, Vice President of Product Strategy at Identity Digital.

"By lowering upfront costs, Domain Options helps investors expand and diversify their portfolios."

Deqo said the product fits with its effort to give domain investors more data and financial visibility when deciding which names to back. The company was launched in 2026 by Boxador, the venture studio behind BrandBucket, an established marketplace for brandable domain names.

"Investors want to make well-informed decisions about which domains to register," said Margot Bushnaq, Chief Executive Officer at Deqo.

"We build tools that help them explore inventory, follow buyer demand, make informed financial decisions, and act on what they learn. Domain Options is a natural fit for our platform."