# Startup domains before launch, without founders' names

> Startup domains before launch: register .com, .io and .ai in our company's name, not a founder's. .com $12.99/year, no KYC, paid in crypto.

- URL: https://nomineename.com/use-cases/startup-before-launch/
- Last updated: 2026-10-19
- Publisher: NomineeName (https://nomineename.com)

Secure the product name early. Keep every founder's name out of the registry until you decide to announce.

**Quick answer — How can a startup register domains before launch without showing the founders?**

A startup can register domains before launch at **NomineeName**, in the name of DomaineGoat LLC: the registrant record and WHOIS/RDAP show the company, never a founder. No incorporated company is needed. As of October 2026, a .com costs **$12.99/year**, a .io $54.99/year, a .ai $88.99/year. No KYC, paid in crypto; free hand-back after incorporation.

## Key facts for founders

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Registrant shown | DomaineGoat LLC (Panama), never a founder |
| Company needed on your side | No: our company is the holder of record |
| Who controls the names | The account holder, as beneficial owner: DNS, renewals, transfers |
| Moving to your company later | free, on request to support from your verified email address |
| Typical set | .com + .io or .ai + .app or .dev |
| What we ask | One verified email; no ID, no KYC |
| Payment | Crypto only: BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC |

## Why do founders keep their names off domain records before launch?

Because a domain registration is often the first public trace of a new product. Anyone can look a domain up on lookup.icann.org in a minute. Three risks come up again and again:

- **The name leaks the plan.** A founder known in an industry, registering a product name, tells competitors and journalists what is coming.
- **The founder's home address ends up in the registrant record.** Before incorporation, the only possible holder is a person. The registrar, and registries that keep contact data, keep that record even when lookups redact it.
- **The wrong organisation becomes owner.** Under ICANN's Registration Data Policy, a filled-in Organization field makes that organisation the registrant. A founder who types a current employer's name can hand the domain to that employer.

With nominee registration, our company is the registrant from day one. None of the three applies.

## Which domains should a startup register before launch?

Start with the exact name in .com, then the extension your sector expects. Then add the obvious typo or plural if the budget allows. Each extension has its own rules:

- **[.io](https://nomineename.com/tld/io/)**: the classic for SaaS and developer tools. Its future is tied to the Chagos sovereignty question; the treaty was shelved in 2026 and .io runs normally.
- **[.ai](https://nomineename.com/tld/ai/)**: for AI products. The registry sets a 2-year minimum, so the first payment covers 2 years.
- **[.app](https://nomineename.com/tld/app/) and [.dev](https://nomineename.com/tld/dev/)**: HTTPS only, because the whole extension is on browsers' HSTS preload list.
- **[.co](https://nomineename.com/tld/co/)**: short, but limited to 5 years per order.
- **[.tech](https://nomineename.com/tld/tech/)**: for hardware and software companies.

### Startup extensions, price per year

| Extension | 1st year | Renewal | Transfer | Registrant shown | Restrictions |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| .com | $12.99 | $12.99 | $12.99 | In our name, included | None |
| .io | $54.99 | $54.99 | $54.99 | In our name, included | None |
| .ai | $88.99 | $88.99 | $88.99 | In our name, included | min. 2 years · sold 2 years at a time; a transfer is billed 2 years (transfer + 1 renewal) |
| .app | $16.99 | $16.99 | $16.99 | In our name, included | HTTPS required |
| .dev | $14.99 | $14.99 | $14.99 | In our name, included | HTTPS required |
| .co | $33.99 | $33.99 | $33.99 | In our name, included | None |
| .tech | $53.99 | $53.99 | $53.99 | In our name, included | None |
| .xyz | $13.99 | $13.99 | $13.99 | In our name, included | None |

*8 extensions · prices per year in USD*

Nominee registration included in every price; the same price to renew. All extensions: [pricing](https://nomineename.com/pricing/).

## How to set up pre-launch domains, step by step

1. **Shortlist the names** — Pick the main name and two or three backups. Search them in the client area.
2. **Check trademarks first** — A name that copies an existing brand can face a UDRP complaint later. Search trademark databases before you pay.
3. **Use a role email** — Verify a shared address such as founders@ rather than one person's inbox, so control survives a team change.
4. **Top up in crypto** — Top up at least $25. Send the exact amount on the exact network; it is credited once the network confirms it.
5. **Register in our name** — Every domain is registered in the name of DomaineGoat LLC. Nothing else to choose.
6. **Lock the main name** — Add Domain protection to the domain you will launch on: transfer lock on, every DNS change confirmed from the account.

## What happens when the company is incorporated?

You choose. Some teams keep the domains in our name after launch. Others move them to the new company, often because investors or acquirers ask for it during due diligence.

- **Keep them with us**: the registry still shows our company. You prove control by changing a DNS record or by showing the account.
- **Hand-back**: ask for the domains in the company's name, free, on request to support from your verified email address. Fill in the company as Organization, so it becomes the registrant under ICANN's data policy. Steps: [take your domain back in your name](https://nomineename.com/guides/take-your-domain-back-in-your-name/).
- **Transfer out**: use the transfer code, free, from your account, at any time, to move to the company's registrar.

NomineeName is a nominee domain registration service from Panama: every domain is registered in the name of DomaineGoat LLC by default, so the registration record and WHOIS show the company, never you — no ID, no KYC, paid in crypto.

## What does nominee registration not do for a startup?

It hides founders from the registry; it does not change the law. Three limits matter:

- **Trademark disputes**: a UDRP complaint names our company, as registrant. We tell you the same business day the dispute provider contacts us and you can defend yourself. Panels often name both the service and the beneficial owner in the decision.
- **Panamanian orders**: we release the data we hold only when Panamanian law requires it (a Panamanian court or prosecutor's order), or in a UDRP case.
- **Abuse**: phishing, malware and fraud that takes money from victims are acted on within 24 hours of a well-documented report, whoever the holder is.

Read the [disclosure policy](https://nomineename.com/disclosure-policy/) before you rely on it for anything sensitive.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can we register domains before the company exists?

Yes. Our company is the registrant of record, so no legal entity is needed on your side. The account holder is the beneficial owner. Once your company exists, you can ask for the domains in its name for free, or keep them in ours.

### Who should own the account in a team of co-founders?

Use a shared role email that all founders can reach. The account email is the one contact we verify and the way to reach us about each domain. Agree in writing between founders who decides on the domains; our terms deal with the account holder.

### Will investors accept a domain held in your name?

Some accept proof of control through DNS. Some ask for the domain in the company's name before closing. In that case, request the hand-back: it is free and handled by support from your verified email.

### Is a .io or a .ai the better choice for an AI startup?

A .ai fits AI products but costs more and needs 2 years at a time. A .io is the older tech default; its long-term status depends on the Chagos question, though it runs normally in 2026. Many startups take the .com too as a fallback.

### Can a competitor find our other domains through the registry?

Not through the holder name: every domain we hold shows the same company. Other clues stay public for any domain, such as shared nameservers or the same hosting. Use separate DNS settings if that matters to you.

### How much does a typical pre-launch set cost?

Add the yearly prices: for example a .com at $12.99/year and a .io at $54.99/year. A .ai costs $88.99 per year, billed for 2 years. Renewals cost the same as the first year. Top up once, from $25.

## Sources

1. [Registration Data Policy now in effect](https://www.icann.org/en/announcements/details/icann-registration-data-policy-now-in-effect-for-contracted-parties-21-08-2025-en) — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
2. [ICANN's Registration Data Policy: key measures and impacts](https://www.dreyfus.fr/en/2025/10/28/icanns-registration-data-policy-key-measures-and-impacts/) — Dreyfus (checked 2026-10-19)
3. [.io safe for now as the Chagos deal is put on ice](https://domainincite.com/31642-io-safe-for-now-as-trump-puts-chagos-deal-on-ice) — Domain Incite (checked 2026-10-19)
4. [HSTS preload and Google Registry extensions](https://kb.porkbun.com/article/96-hsts-preload-and-google-registry) — Porkbun (checked 2026-10-19)
5. [WIPO Q&A on GDPR and UDRP](https://www.wipo.int/en/web/amc/domain-name-disputes/gdrp) — WIPO (checked 2026-10-19)

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NomineeName: NomineeName is a nominee domain registration service from Panama: every domain is registered in the name of DomaineGoat LLC by default, so the registration record and WHOIS show the company, never you — no ID, no KYC, paid in crypto.