Quick answer
How do I buy a .ai domain with USDT or Bitcoin?
To buy a .ai domain with USDT or Bitcoin at Pearlcay, search the name and add it to the cart (on 2 November 2026, $86.99/year a year, 2 years minimum), top up a balance in BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC from $25, wait for the network confirmations, then verify one email. No KYC: no ID, no card.
A .ai order at a glance
| .ai price | $86.99/year, renewal $86.99/year |
|---|---|
| Minimum term | 2 years, set by the .ai registry: the first order costs $173.98 |
| Coins | BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC |
| USDT networks | Tron (TRC-20) or Ethereum (ERC-20) |
| Minimum top-up | $25 |
| Registration time | usually within minutes of the top-up being credited; a few island registries (.gg among them) can take up to a day to confirm a new name |
| ID needed | None. One email address per domain, verified |
Buy a .ai domain in seven steps
Search the name
Type the name with .ai in the domain search. Most registries answer live. If the screen says Availability confirmed at order, the last check happens when you register. A failed registration does not cost you: if a domain cannot be registered (taken in the meantime, refused by the registry), the full amount goes back to your balance.
Add it to the cart and check the 2-year term
A .ai is sold for at least 2 years, so the cart shows two years at $86.99/year: $173.98 in total. The registry sets this rule. Why .ai takes 2 years explains it. You can add Domain protection for +$29/year: the domain is then registered in the name of DomaineGoat LLC, and you stay the beneficiary.
Top up your balance in crypto
You pay from a prepaid balance. Pick a coin from BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC. The top-up is the price of your cart, or $25 for a smaller cart. There is no card, and no Monero.
Pick the network
For USDT, choose Tron (TRC-20) or Ethereum (ERC-20). For Bitcoin, use the Bitcoin network. Send only that coin on that network.
Send the exact amount and wait for the confirmations
Send the exact amount shown, then click I've sent the payment. Your wallet pays the network fee on top. Your balance is credited once the network has confirmed the transaction. The table below lists the confirmations for each coin.
Let the domain register, then verify your email
Once the top-up is credited, the .ai is registered in your name. Registration time: usually within minutes of the top-up being credited; a few island registries (.gg among them) can take up to a day to confirm a new name. Then open the email we send and click its link. ICANN rules require this: the registrant email is verified after registration, as ICANN rules require (within 15 days).
Set your DNS
Point the domain from your client area. You get free DNS hosting with A, AAAA, CNAME, ALIAS, MX, TXT, NS, SRV and CAA records, one-click templates (Vercel, Netlify, GitHub Pages, Cloudflare Pages, Shopify, Proton Mail, Fastmail, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho Mail), or your own nameservers (2 to 13).
Which network should I pick for USDT?
Pick the network where your USDT already is. We accept USDT on two: Tron (TRC-20) and Ethereum (ERC-20).
USDT is rarer than Bitcoin at registrars. Pearlcay checked the payment pages of the 10 registrars in its price survey on 2 November 2026: 7 document a crypto payment, 6 of them name Bitcoin, and only 2, Dynadot and NameSilo, name USDT.
The payment page shows the deposit address for the coin and network you chose. Send only that coin on that network. Funds sent on another network, such as BEP-20, or in another coin, can't be recovered.
The network fee comes on top of the amount, and it differs by network. Check the fee your wallet or exchange shows for each one before you send. The number of confirmations differs too: the table below lists both networks.
How payment works
Top up $25 or more
Choose the amount and the coin (BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC). The crypto amount and its rate are locked for 30 minutes.
Send it to the address shown, on the exact network
The payment page shows our deposit address for the coin and network you picked: BTC on Bitcoin, USDT on Tron (TRC-20) or Ethereum (ERC-20), USDC on Ethereum (ERC-20), ETH on Ethereum, SOL on Solana, LTC on Litecoin. Send only that coin on that network: funds sent on another network or in another coin can’t be recovered. The network fee comes on top of the amount.
Send the exact amount shown, then click “I’ve sent the payment”
Each top-up has its own exact amount (down to the last decimals): that is how we find your payment and link it to your account.
Credited once your payment is checked on the blockchain
Your balance is credited once we have checked the transaction on the blockchain, after the network has confirmed it. Typical network confirmation times:
Crypto Network Confirmations Usual time BTC Bitcoin 2 ≈ 20 min USDT Tron (TRC-20) 20 ≈ 1 min USDT Ethereum (ERC-20) 12 ≈ 5 min USDC Ethereum (ERC-20) 12 ≈ 5 min ETH Ethereum 12 ≈ 5 min SOL Solana 1 ≈ 1 min LTC Litecoin 6 ≈ 15 min One balance for every domain
If you started from a domain search, the top-up is the price of your cart (or the minimum, for a smaller cart), and the domains in your cart are registered once the top-up is credited. What is left stays on your balance for renewals, transfers, Domain protection and new domains. Unused balance stays on your account and never expires, and it pays for new domains, renewals and transfers. When a purchase costs less than the minimum top-up, the part added only to reach the minimum is refundable on request to support within 30 days of the payment, in USDT or USDC, as long as it has not been spent. The rest of the balance is not paid back, except where the law requires it.
Closed the tab? The pending top-up stays under Billing in your account: open it to see the address and the exact amount again.
What happens after the top-up is credited?
The order is paid from your balance. Registration time: usually within minutes of the top-up being credited; a few island registries (.gg among them) can take up to a day to confirm a new name. A failed registration does not cost you: if a domain cannot be registered (taken in the meantime, refused by the registry), the full amount goes back to your balance.
What is left stays on your balance for renewals, transfers and new domains. Unused balance stays on your account and never expires, and it pays for new domains, renewals and transfers. When a purchase costs less than the minimum top-up, the part added only to reach the minimum is refundable on request to support within 30 days of the payment, in USDT or USDC, as long as it has not been spent. The rest of the balance is not paid back, except where the law requires it.
Why must I verify an email if there is no KYC?
ICANN rules require the contact of a domain to be reachable. The check is on the email address, not on you: no ID document, no selfie. ICANN's registrar agreement tells registrars to verify the registrant's email within 15 days. If there is no answer, the registrar must verify by other means or suspend the registration. Use an address you read.
That one address is the only contact data we collect for a domain, and we keep it private.
How do I point the .ai to my site?
Each domain comes with free DNS hosting with A, AAAA, CNAME, ALIAS, MX, TXT, NS, SRV and CAA records, one-click templates (Vercel, Netlify, GitHub Pages, Cloudflare Pages, Shopify, Proton Mail, Fastmail, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho Mail), or your own nameservers (2 to 13). You also get free URL forwarding and email forwarding from the client area.
Your own nameservers work too: give your host's nameservers, and the domain follows them.
What does it cost to keep a .ai?
A .ai renews at $86.99/year, for at least 2 years, with automatic renewal from your balance, switched on or off for each domain. Keep two yearly prices on your balance before the renewal date. The cost over a decade is in a .ai over 10 years, and the registry facts are on the .ai page. To move the domain later, read the transfer guide.
Search your .ai
A .ai at $86.99/year, sold for at least 2 years. No ID, paid in crypto.
Buying a .ai with crypto: questions
Can I buy a .ai domain with Bitcoin?
Yes. Top up your balance in Bitcoin, then pay the order from it. The minimum top-up is $25, and a .ai is $86.99/year for at least 2 years. You do not pay each domain on its own.
Which USDT network should I choose?
The one where your USDT already is: Tron (TRC-20) or Ethereum (ERC-20). Compare the fee in your wallet. Send only on the network shown on the payment page.
Do I need KYC to buy a .ai?
No. No ID document, no selfie. We ask for one email address per domain, verified as ICANN rules require, and keep it private. Domains are registered through our ICANN-accredited registrar partner.
How long until my .ai works?
The network must first confirm your top-up. After that, registration is usually within minutes of the top-up being credited; a few island registries (.gg among them) can take up to a day to confirm a new name.
What if the .ai is taken after I pay?
You keep your money: if a domain cannot be registered (taken in the meantime, refused by the registry), the full amount goes back to your balance. That balance can pay another name, a renewal or a transfer.
Sources (3)
- .ai (Anguilla): registration and renewal terms of 2 to 10 years — Amazon Route 53 (checked 2026-11-02)
- About .ai domains (sponsor: Government of Anguilla; terms of 2 years minimum) godaddy.com/help/about-ai-domains-32220 — GoDaddy (checked 2026-11-02)
- 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement, WHOIS Accuracy Program Specification (email verification within 15 days) — ICANN (checked 2026-11-02)