GoDaddy acquires Amsterdam-based domain marketplace startup DAN.com

In February 202, we covered DAN.com after the Amsterdam-based domain marketplace startup raised multi-million-dollar Series A funding to disrupt the $10 billion domain industry. The round was led by Airbridge Equity Partners.

Fast forward a little over two years later, DAN.com announced today it has been acquired by GoDaddy, the world’s largest domain registrar. The total acquisition cost was not disclosed. In a statement on its website, DAN.com founder and CEO Reza Sardeha said:

“Today we are thrilled to announce we entered into a definitive agreement with GoDaddy to bring Dan’s innovative products and engine to one of the most respected brands in domains and their 21+ million customers. By joining forces, we aim to create the best end-to-end solutions to trade and monetize domains for domain owners around the world.”

This is GoDaddy’s second domain marketplace acquisition. In February 2020, the Arizona-based GoDaddy acquired Uniregistry and its 350,000 domain portfolio for $196.9 million.

DAN.com currently has 17 million domains listed, processed over 100,000 secondary market domain transfers, and hosts 2.5 million domain for sale pages. The company offers buyers and sellers access to millions of aftermarket domains in its marketplace.

Following the acquisition, Sardeha said that Dan’s customizable “for-sale pages will be made available to GoDaddy customers, and, the very popular LTO (Lease to Own) model will be offered at GoDaddy.”

As part of the acquisition, Sardeha also added that DAN will join GoDaddy’s Afternic DLS network to create the most liquid and seamless domain secondary market experience for domain buyers and sellers.

Describing the journey to the acquisition, Sardeha said:

“When Paul and I started flirting about working together, the seed was planted and grew as we discovered our ideas aligned about how to take the domain secondary market forward.”

In a statement commenting about the acquisition deal, GoDaddy President of Domains Paul Nicks said:

“We are beyond thrilled to welcome Dan.com’s team of proven innovators to GoDaddy’s Aftermarket team. Their massively popular sales lander and fulfillment platforms will fit beautifully with Afternic’s broad distribution network while accelerating further optimizations and enhancements as we create a best-in-class integrated investor experience.”

Founded in 2013 as Undeveloped.com in 2014 by Reza Sardeha, the Amsterdam-based startup changed its name to DAN.com in early 2019. Since its inception nine years ago, Dan has reinvented domain trading from start to end by making domain trading easier and accessible to all.