Tysons Corner-based business intelligence and data analytics software maker MicroStrategy is cleaning out its domain name storage locker, and has just sold the domain “Voice.com” for $30 million in cash, the fifth-highest price ever paid for a domain name.
The sale was facilitated by GoDaddy and is now being used by Block.one to launch its new blockchain-based social media platform called Voice.
MicroStrategy holds what it calls more than a dozen “evocative and powerful” domain names, and says it is open to selling them, but not cheap. The company says it would consider equity or other strategic transactions with “well-funded” parties.
MicroStrategy’s current list of domain names it is willing to part with include:
- Wisdom.com
- Alert.com
- Glory.com
- William.com
- Emma.com
- Strategy.com
- Hope.com
- iDream.com
- Arthur.com
- Usher.com
- Speaker.com
- Courage.com
- Mike.com
- Frank.com
- Michael.com
“Ultra-premium domain names like these can help a company achieve instant brand recognition, ignite a business, and massively accelerate value creation,” MicroStrategy said in a statement.
MicroStrategy did not say why it has chosen now to sell the domain names, though the move may help beef up its bank account.
MicroStrategy ended its most recent quarter with $551.1 million in cash in the bank, compared to $576.1 million at the end of the prior quarter.
The company’s $115 million in first quarter 2019 revenue was down 6.2% from a year ago, and it reported a quarterly net loss of $7.9 million, compared to a $1.7 million profit in the same quarter a year ago.
MicroStrategy had fiscal 2018 revenue of $497.6 million, compared to $504.5 million in fiscal 2017.
MicroStrategy is one of Northern Virginia’s oldest technology firms, founded in 1989. Last year, it opted to stay in Tysons Corner after a headquarters search.
