Quick answer
How do I register a short domain with crypto and no KYC at Pearlcay?
To register a short domain at Pearlcay, search the name, top up a crypto balance from $25, and verify one email address for the domain. There is no ID check. The domain is registered in your name, and a .ai costs $86.99/year (2 years minimum). You then manage DNS, forwarding and renewals yourself, and you can transfer the domain out for free.
What you need, and what you do not
| Documents | None: no ID document, no selfie, no ID number |
|---|---|
| Contact data | One email address for each domain, required, verified and kept private |
| Coins | BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC |
| Minimum top-up | $25 |
| Time to register | Registered 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 |
| If a registration fails | if a domain cannot be registered (taken in the meantime, refused by the registry), the full amount goes back to your balance |
| DNS | 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) |
| Leaving | Transfer (EPP) code free, requested from the client area; no exit fee |
Six steps from a name to a domain you control
Search the name
Type the name with its ending in the domain search. Most registries answer live. For .io, .gg and a few others, the screen says Availability confirmed at order: the last check happens when you register.
Top up in crypto
Pick a coin from BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC and send the exact amount shown, on the network shown. The top-up is the price of your cart, or $25 for a smaller cart.
Registration in your name
Once the top-up is credited, the domain is registered 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. You are the registrant, unless you add Domain protection.
Verify the email
Each domain needs one working email address. ICANN rules require it to be verified: the registrant email is verified after registration, as ICANN rules require (within 15 days). A click on the link you receive is enough.
Set DNS, forwarding and auto-renew
Point the domain with our free DNS or your own nameservers, add forwarding, and switch auto-renew on or off for each domain.
Transfer out when you want
Request the transfer (EPP) code in the client area. It is free, requested from the client area, and leaving costs nothing.
How does the availability search work?
The search asks the registry live, so you see the answer of the extension itself. The names you type are not logged.
Some registries cannot be queried that way. For .io, .gg and a few others, the screen shows Availability confirmed at order. We do not promise an instant answer for them: the final check happens at registration. If the name is taken in the meantime, your money is safe: if a domain cannot be registered (taken in the meantime, refused by the registry), the full amount goes back to your balance.
A name can also be refused by the registry. The rule is the same, and the full amount goes back to your balance.
How do I pay in crypto?
Every payment comes out of a prepaid balance, which you fill in crypto. The accepted coins are BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC. There is no card, no bank transfer and no Monero.
The smallest top-up is $25. If your cart costs more, the top-up equals the cart. Your wallet pays the blockchain fee.
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.
Why must I verify an email if there is no KYC?
ICANN rules require the contact of every domain to be reachable. Checking an email address is a contact check, not an identity check. That one address is the only contact data we collect, and it is kept private.
The address must work and you must read it. If it is not verified, the domain can be suspended until it is. Keep it working for as long as you hold the domain. The FAQ answers more questions about the email check.
What can I manage after registration?
Everything is in your client area, for each domain:
- DNS: 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).
- Forwarding: free URL forwarding and email forwarding from the client area.
- Renewal: automatic renewal from your balance, switched on or off for each domain.
- Transfer code: free, requested from the client area.
- Domain protection: the option that registers the domain in our company name; see the option page.
Email replies within 12 hours, 7 days a week, including help with DNS, transfers and renewals.
How do renewals work?
A renewal comes out of your balance at the renewal price of the price grid. With auto-renew on, the balance must hold enough on the renewal date, or the renewal does not happen. You can also renew by hand.
Read the renewal price before you buy, because it can differ from the first year. A .io costs $35.99/year the first year, then $62.99/year. Pearlcay's price check of 2 November 2026 found the same pattern at 8 of the 10 registrars surveyed for .io: a lower first year, then a higher renewal. A .ai renews for at least 2 years, as its registry requires.
When a domain expires, its registry applies its own grace and redemption periods, and some registries charge a restore fee. Renew before the date.
How do I move a domain out of Pearlcay?
The transfer (EPP) code is free, requested from the client area, and there is no exit fee. Copy the code, enter it at the new registrar, and confirm the move there.
A registry can block a move for a period after a registration or a previous transfer. If the new registrar refuses the code, write to support and give the domain name.
With Domain protection, the transfer lock is on. You can take the domain back in your own name for free before you leave. We never ask for your password, your account number or your domain transfer (EPP) codes by email or chat.
Can I bring a domain to Pearlcay from another registrar?
Yes. A transfer in costs the renewal price of the extension, for example $62.99/year for a .io. At your current registrar, remove the lock and copy the transfer code. Then start the transfer in your client area.
For a .ai, read the transfer guide, because its registry works in 2-year terms.
Registration: questions
Do I need to give an ID to register a domain?
No. You upload no identity document, take no selfie and type no ID number. One email address per domain is all the contact data we collect, and it is kept private.
How long does registration take?
A domain is registered 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. The network must first confirm your top-up, and the number of confirmations depends on the coin.
What if the name 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. This can happen with extensions marked Availability confirmed at order, such as .io and .gg.
Can I register several domains with one top-up?
Yes. Put them in the cart, and the top-up covers the total, or $25 for a small cart. What is left stays on your balance for renewals 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.
Can I use my own nameservers?
Yes. 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).
Sources (1)
- 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement — ICANN (checked 2026-10-29)
Start with the name
Search a name, see its first-year and renewal price, then pay in crypto.