Frank Schilling: The Greatest Domain Investor of All Time (2025)

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Who is Frank Schilling?

Frank T. Schilling (born July 29, 1969) is a German-born, Canadian-raised entrepreneur who became one of the most successful domain investors in history. His journey from a college dropout who tried various careers to becoming a domain industry legend with a $500 million net worth is one of the most remarkable success stories in internet history.

The Schilling Profile

Why He Matters

Frank Schilling didn't just build a massive portfolio—he helped define what domain investing could be. He coined the term "domain investor" and proved that domains could be treated as legitimate financial assets rather than speculative gambles. His success story, chronicled in David Kesmodel's 2008 book The Domain Game, inspired a generation of domain investors.

Early Life and Career

German Roots, Canadian Upbringing

Born in Germany in 1969, Frank Schilling moved to Canada as a child and grew up there. His diverse early career included ventures in real estate, electronics, and film studies—experiences that would later inform his business acumen but didn't lead to breakthrough success.

The Failed Food.com Bid

Schilling's entry into domains came through failure. In the late 1990s, he attempted to acquire Food.com but lost the bid. Rather than walking away from the domain industry, this setback sparked his curiosity about domain names as assets.

Recognizing the Opportunity

While others saw the dot-com bust of 2000-2001 as proof that internet assets were worthless, Schilling saw something different: opportunity. He noticed that disillusioned dot-com entrepreneurs were letting valuable domain names expire rather than paying renewal fees.

Seizing the Dot-Com Bust Opportunity (2001-2002)

The $200,000 Bet

In the fall of 2002, Frank Schilling made what his wife considered a terrifying decision: he took their entire family savings of approximately $200,000 and invested it in domain names. His wife was so concerned she called his parents to warn them something might be wrong with him.

But Schilling had done his research. He recognized that:

• The dot-com bust had flooded the market with expired premium domains
• Generic, descriptive domain names would regain value when the market recovered
• Type-in traffic (people typing domains directly into browsers) created monetization opportunities
• Annual renewal fees of $35 per domain made holding costs manageable

The Echo Effect

Schilling identified what he called "an annual echo effect" from the dot-com bust. In 2001, 2002, and 2003, millions of people let their domain names expire, creating a recurring opportunity to acquire premium names at registration prices rather than aftermarket premiums.

Strategic Acquisitions

Unlike speculators who grabbed anything available, Schilling focused on:

• Two- and three-word descriptive phrases: Terms people would naturally type
• Commercial viability: Domains with clear monetization potential
• Strong type-in traffic potential: Names people would enter directly
• Premium .com extension: The most recognized and valuable extension

Building Name Administration Inc.

Founding the Company (2002)

In February 2002, Schilling founded Name Administration Inc. (also known as NAmedia) in the Cayman Islands to manage his growing domain portfolio. Moving to the Cayman Islands around 2003 provided both tax advantages and a base for his emerging domain empire.

Rapid Portfolio Growth

The company's portfolio expanded exponentially through a disciplined approach:

Reinvestment Strategy

Schilling's approach differed from "flip it quick" domain speculators. He reinvested revenue from domain parking and sales back into acquiring more premium domains, creating a compounding effect that rapidly scaled his portfolio.

Revenue Generation

In early 2011, Schilling announced that his business had generated $7 million in domain sales from approximately 250 domains "without trying too hard." This revealed the quality of his portfolio—an average of $28,000 per domain sold.

Pioneering Domain Monetization

Domain Parking Innovation

Schilling wasn't content with existing domain parking services. He wanted to maximize revenue from his portfolio's type-in traffic—visitors who typed domain names directly into their browsers.

InternetTraffic.com Launch (2011)

He launched InternetTraffic.com as "a no-frills domain monetization platform for experienced type-in traffic operators." What made it unique:

• Owner-operator perspective: Run by someone deep in the domain business
• Quality focus: Separated genuine type-in traffic from low-quality clicks
• Pass-through model: Operated to build scale rather than maximize profit margins
• Premium rates: Quality traffic commanded better advertising rates

Becoming the Largest Parking Company

By 2014, Domain Name Sales (the evolved platform) had over 2.5 million domain names on its parking platform, including .com, .net, .org, and country code domains. Many early adopters reported significant increases in PPC (pay-per-click) revenue compared to competitors.

Testing and Optimization

Schilling's approach to parking was scientific. Name Administration tested new templates with:

• Relevant graphical headers
• Keyword tabs and sections
• Direct ad links
• Pictures with keyword links
• Fresh designs that improved monetization

Founding Uniregistry (2012-2014)

A $60 Million Investment

In 2012, Schilling established Uniregistry Corporation in the Cayman Islands. He invested approximately $60 million of his own capital to build what would become one of the industry's fastest-growing registrars.

The Vision

Uniregistry aimed to be a comprehensive domain services platform:

• Domain registrar: Compete with established players like GoDaddy
• Aftermarket marketplace: Enable domain buying and selling
• Registry operator: Apply for new gTLDs (generic top-level domains)
• Parking services: Monetization for domain owners

New gTLD Applications

Uniregistry applied to operate 54 new gTLDs as part of ICANN's new gTLD program. Among the extensions they operated:

.audio, .blackfriday, .christmas, .click, .country, .diet, .flowers, .game, .guitars, .help, .hiphop, .hiv, .hosting, .juegos, .link, .llp, .lol, .mom, .photo, .pics, .property, .sexy, .tattoo

Growth and Recognition

By 2019, Uniregistry had become a top 10 registrar for domain names across new gTLDs and country code TLDs, proving that a domain investor could successfully compete in the registrar business.

The GoDaddy Acquisition (2020)

The Blockbuster Deal

On February 11, 2020, GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY) announced a transformative acquisition that effectively ended Frank Schilling's active role in the domain industry he had helped build.

What GoDaddy Acquired

The deal included:

What Was Not Included

Importantly, the Uniregistry domain registry (the new gTLD operations) was not part of the transaction. Schilling retained ownership of his 23 new gTLDs.

Financial Terms

According to GoDaddy's annual report:

• Total purchase price: Approximately $196.9 million
• Domain portfolio valuation: GoDaddy assigned an $88.5 million accounting value to the approximately 375,000 domains
• Per-domain value: Approximately $235 per domain on average

Continuity

Uniregistry employees remained with the company, and offices in Grand Cayman and Manchester continued to operate under GoDaddy ownership.

New gTLD Portfolio Sale (2021)

The Final Exit

After selling his registrar and domain portfolio to GoDaddy, Schilling still owned 23 new generic top-level domains. In early 2021, he announced plans to liquidate these in a single-day auction.

The Auction

In late April and early May 2021, UNR conducted auctions for all 23 gTLDs:

• 17 bidders deposited funds to participate
• 10+ different bidders won extensions
• 6 winning bidders were new to the registry space
• Winners included established registries, investment firms, blockchain companies, and high-net-worth individuals

Financial Results

The auction grossed more than $40 million, with an average sales price under $2 million per extension. Given the initial investment of approximately $60 million in 2012, the total returns (including years of registration revenue) represented a modest but successful exit from the new gTLD space.

Complete Industry Exit

With this sale, Frank Schilling had completed his exit from active domain industry participation after more than two decades.

Investment Philosophy

Core Principles

Frank Schilling's success wasn't luck—it was built on a clear, disciplined investment philosophy that he articulated throughout his career.

1. Buy Quality, Not Quantity

The Philosophy: Focus on truly valuable domains rather than accumulating thousands of marginal names.

Schilling's Words: "Know your industry and buy quality. Invest in domain names that have real value and that people will be willing to pay for in the future."

2. Domains Are Digital Gold

The Philosophy: Treat domain names as scarce, valuable assets comparable to precious metals or real estate.

Schilling's Words: "The domain name is equivalent to Gold. It is the only packaged item which is globally tax-free, portable, with value that is universal across different cultures."

3. Long-Term Holding Wins

The Philosophy: Premium domains appreciate over time; patience outperforms quick flipping.

Schilling's Words: "In the future, fortune could well favor those who didn't sell their good domain names too cheaply, or too boldly."

4. Lower Marketing Costs Forever

The Philosophy: A premium domain pays for itself through reduced marketing expenses.

Schilling's Words: "A better domain name will lower your lifetime marketing costs."

5. Low Renewal Costs Matter

The Philosophy: Look for assets with minimal carrying costs that can be held indefinitely.

Schilling's Approach: Focus on domains worth holding even through market downturns because renewal fees are trivial compared to potential value.

6. Build Infrastructure, Not Just Portfolios

The Philosophy: Create systems and platforms that increase domain value across the industry.

Schilling's Words: "I want to build great infrastructure that makes domain names more valuable."

Domain Extension Preferences

Schilling has been clear about his preferences:

On .com: "Dot coms are so powerful—even my daughter knows what they are (she's 3)."

On Country Codes: He favors .CA (Canada), .co.uk (UK), .de (Germany), .br (Brazil), .cn (China), and .in (India) for their even-handed registration rules. In many cases, he believes country codes can be stronger than .com due to currency, language, and nationalism factors.

Valuation Methodology

Schilling uses AMR (average monthly revenue) and ADT (average daily traffic) as valuation metrics, though he notes these make up only 20% of his domain name valuation methodology. Other factors include:

• Keyword strength and search volume
• Commercial intent of traffic
• Development potential
• Comparable sales data
• Scarcity and uniqueness

Notable Portfolio and Sales

Premium Domain Holdings

Schilling's portfolio included some of the most valuable domains on the internet:

Ultra-Premium Holdings:

• Beer.com
• Diamond.com
• CreditCards.com
• Capital.com
• CarInsurance.com
• HomeLoans.com

Domain Sales Philosophy

Unlike investors who aggressively sold domains, Schilling often held premium names rather than accepting offers below his valuation. This patience allowed domain values to appreciate significantly over time.

The Beer.com Lot

After the GoDaddy acquisition, some premium domains including Beer.com were offered in a lot auction with 26 other domains (including cervezas.com and biere.com) with a reserve price between $1 million and $5 million.

Historical Sales

While specific sale prices weren't always disclosed, industry sources report Schilling completed numerous seven-figure domain transactions throughout his career.

Industry Contributions

Co-Founding the Internet Commerce Association (2006)

Schilling was one of five founding members of the Internet Commerce Association (ICA), alongside iREIT, Oversee.net, Sedo.com, and the World Association of Domain Name Developers. The ICA became the primary advocacy organization for domain investors and registrants.

ICANN Business Constituency

Schilling joined as a member of the ICANN business constituency, participating in the governance of the global domain name system.

Caribbean's First ICANN-Accredited Registrar

In 2003, Schilling financed the Caribbean's first ICANN-accredited domain name registrar, bringing infrastructure to the region.

Subject of "The Domain Game"

In 2008, Wall Street Journal reporter David Kesmodel published The Domain Game: How People Get Rich from Internet Domain Names, which opens with Frank Schilling's story of investing his family's $200,000 savings in domains. The book brought mainstream attention to domain investing and used Schilling's journey to illustrate the industry's potential.

Industry Recognition

Greatest Domain Investor of All Time (2014): TheDomains.com poll

Most Influential Person in Domain Industry (2015): Domain Name Wire

DNJournal Cover Stories: Featured twice—"Nice Guy Finishes First" (December 2007) and "Lapping the Field" (November 2012)

Rick Schwartz on Schilling

Fellow domain legend Rick Schwartz praised Schilling: "Frank is a legend for a number of reasons... First because he is the nicest guy you would ever want to meet. He is like the Jack Kennedy of domains. Second, he came fairly late to the game but never whined that he got in too late. He just put his nose to the grindstone and put together the #1 domain portfolio in the world nearly overnight. His portfolio has a low value of about $500 million and a real value likely over $1 billion."

Life After Domains

Angel Investing

Following his exit from the domain industry, Schilling became an active angel investor. His fund has investments in:

• Triller: The social media and music platform
• Desktop.com: Productivity platform
• ZoomProp: Real estate technology
• Port Zeus: Investment venture

Hospitality Ventures

In Summer 2023, Schilling opened Mykonos Steak Club, a Greek-inspired restaurant in the heart of Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman. The venue combines traditional Greek cuisine with Asian and Italian fusion influences.

Schilling described his vision: "I love the idea of a carefree, never-ending summer. I love the mixtures of food (Greek with Asian and Italian fusions). I love how Mykonos has evolved from a hippy-like retreat for artists into a standard-bearer for relaxed, carefree, summer luxury."

Wine Business

Schilling founded Aphrodise, a Greek sparkling rosé brand, extending his hospitality interests.

Music

Through GoldFYR Records, an independent music label he co-founded with partners Yannick "Vasco Got the Recipe" Powell and Rico Rolando, Schilling has pursued creative interests in music production.

Honoring His Roots

To honor his Canadian upbringing, Schilling installed "Alice," a 17,000-pound hand-made steel T-Rex dinosaur sculpture in Penticton, British Columbia. The sculpture became a designated cultural landmark in the Okanagan Valley.

Key Lessons from Frank Schilling

Lesson 1: Timing Creates Opportunity

Schilling succeeded not by being first but by recognizing opportunity when others saw only failure. The dot-com bust that devastated early internet companies created the conditions for his success.

Application: Look for market dislocations where assets become undervalued. Contrarian timing can create extraordinary opportunities.

Lesson 2: Research Before You Buy

Before investing his family's savings, Schilling did extensive research on domain economics, traffic patterns, and monetization potential.

Application: Never invest in assets you don't understand. Deep industry knowledge precedes successful investing.

Lesson 3: Compound Quality Over Time

Schilling built his portfolio by reinvesting revenue from parking and sales into acquiring more premium domains.

Application: Rather than cashing out early wins, reinvest in quality assets to build compounding returns.

Lesson 4: Build Infrastructure

Schilling didn't just accumulate domains—he built companies (Uniregistry, InternetTraffic.com) that created value for the entire industry.

Application: Consider how you can create platforms or systems that multiply your impact beyond individual asset ownership.

Lesson 5: Patience Pays

Schilling held premium domains for years, even decades, rather than selling quickly. His patience allowed values to appreciate substantially.

Application: Premium assets reward patient holders. Avoid the temptation to sell too early or too cheaply.

Lesson 6: Relationships Matter

Despite his success, Schilling was known for treating people well. As he noted: "Assume that everybody can see what you are doing and then live your life that way—you will find that generally you are treated right."

Application: Build genuine relationships. Reputation compounds just like financial assets.

Lesson 7: Know When to Exit

Schilling recognized when the timing was right to exit—selling to GoDaddy in 2020 and liquidating his gTLDs in 2021.

Application: Even successful investors must know when to take profits and move to new opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Frank Schilling still in the domain industry?

No. After selling his portfolio and companies to GoDaddy in 2020 and his 23 new gTLDs in 2021, Schilling has completely exited the domain industry. He now focuses on angel investing, hospitality ventures, and creative projects.

How much is Frank Schilling worth?

Estimates place Schilling's net worth at approximately $500 million, making him one of the wealthiest individuals to emerge from domain investing. This wealth comes from the GoDaddy acquisition ($197 million), the gTLD sales ($40 million), decades of domain parking and sales revenue, and successful angel investments.

What happened to Uniregistry?

GoDaddy acquired Uniregistry's registrar and marketplace businesses in 2020. The registry operations (the new gTLDs) were sold separately in 2021. Tucows later acquired UNR's registry technology platform.

Why did Schilling move to the Cayman Islands?

Schilling relocated to the Cayman Islands around 2003, establishing Name Administration Inc. there. The jurisdiction offered tax advantages and became the base for his domain empire.

What made Schilling's approach different from other domain investors?

Several factors distinguished Schilling:

• Scale: Built one of the largest portfolios in history (375,000+ domains)
• Infrastructure: Created companies (Uniregistry, parking platforms) rather than just holding domains
• Timing: Capitalized on the dot-com bust when others fled
• Quality focus: Prioritized premium domains over quantity
• Patience: Held domains for long-term appreciation rather than quick flips

Can you still buy domains from Frank Schilling?

No. His portfolio was acquired by GoDaddy in 2020. Some of those domains may now be available through GoDaddy's aftermarket or other platforms.

What's the best advice Schilling gave to domain investors?

Among his most cited quotes: "Know your industry and buy quality." He emphasized that successful domain investing requires deep knowledge and focus on genuinely valuable names rather than speculation on marginal domains.

Key Takeaways

• Voted Greatest Domain Investor of All Time: TheDomains.com poll, 2014
• $200,000 to $500 million: Built extraordinary wealth from family savings invested during the dot-com bust
• 375,000+ domains: Built one of the largest premium domain portfolios in history
• Founded Name Administration Inc. (2002): Managed his growing portfolio from the Cayman Islands
• Founded Uniregistry (2012): Invested $60 million to build a top 10 registrar
• GoDaddy acquisition (2020): Sold companies and portfolio for ~$197 million
• gTLD sale (2021): Sold 23 new gTLDs for $40+ million
• Coined "domain investor": Helped legitimize the industry and its terminology
• Co-founded ICA (2006): One of five founding members of the industry's advocacy organization
• Philosophy: "A better domain name will lower your lifetime marketing costs"

Next Steps

• Learn from other legends: Read about the Castello Brothers and Michael Cyger
• Build your strategy: Develop your own domain investment thesis
• Understand valuation: Learn domain valuation methods
• Start investing: Read our guide on choosing a domain investment strategy
• Research domains: Use DomainDetails.com to research domain ownership and history

Research Sources

• Wikipedia - Frank Schilling
• ICANNWiki - Frank Schilling
• DNJournal - Lapping the Field (2012 Cover Story)
• DNJournal - Nice Guy Finishes First (2007 Cover Story)
• Domain Name Wire - GoDaddy acquires Uniregistry
• Domain Name Wire - GoDaddy assigns $88.5 million value to portfolio
• Domain Name Wire - gTLD auction results
• GoDaddy Press Release - Acquisition Announcement
• NamePros - Interview with Frank Schilling
• DomainSherpa - Frank Schilling Interview
• Dotkeeper - Interview with Frank Schilling
• Cayman Compass - Mykonos Restaurant Opening
• Celebrity Net Worth - Frank Schilling