When you hear “Anguilla,” you likely picture white-sand beaches and luxury resorts.
But beneath its serene exterior, this Caribbean island — home to a little less than 15,000 people — has quietly become a major beneficiary of the global artificial intelligence boom.
The reason? Anguilla owns the .ai country code top-level domain (ccTLD), and that small detail has turned into a substantial revenue stream.
A Two-Letter Asset with Global Value
Anguilla was assigned the .ai domain on February 16, 1995, as part of the standard process by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). At the time, it was just another country code.
Today, it’s a premium digital asset. In an era where artificial intelligence dominates headlines and investment capital, companies are clamoring for domain names that align with the AI brand narrative. From early-stage startups to tech giants like Google and OpenAI, a .ai domain signals innovation and relevance.
As a result, .ai has become one of the most sought-after domain extensions in the world.
$32 Million in Domain Revenue
In 2023, Anguilla earned over $32 million in revenue from .ai domain registrations and renewals. That income accounted for roughly 20% of the territory’s government revenue. Just five years earlier, in 2018, domain revenue totaled $2.9 million — a stark indicator of how demand has accelerated.
Domain pricing sits at approximately $140 for a two-year registration, and with renewal rates estimated near 90%, the .ai domain has proven to be not only lucrative, but also resilient.
A Strategic Operations Shift
In January 2025, Anguilla transitioned operational control of its domain registry to Identity Digital, one of the largest domain infrastructure providers globally. The government retains domain ownership and shares in the ongoing revenue, while Identity Digital handles the technical and commercial infrastructure.
The goal of the shift was to ensure scalability, modernize registry operations, and position .ai for long-term growth, while continuing to channel significant revenue back to Anguilla.
Economic Impact on Anguilla
The domain windfall has supported public sector initiatives such as:
Infrastructure upgrades and airport expansion
Healthcare services, including coverage for seniors
Digital education programs and broadband access
There are also spillover effects: the global tech interest in .ai has indirectly boosted tourism and business awareness of the island. According to officials, some visitors first hear of Anguilla through its digital domain, not its travel brochures.
While domain revenue is expected to stabilize over time, government officials project that .ai will continue contributing approximately 15% of public income annually, even as the market matures.
A Case Study in Digital Leverage
Anguilla’s story is a compelling example of how digital infrastructure — even something as seemingly trivial as a country code — can become a national asset. While the island has no native AI industry, its control of the .ai domain places it in a position of global relevance.
By capitalizing on rising demand, partnering with the right operator, and reinvesting revenue into public goods, Anguilla has turned a legacy internet assignment into a multi-million-dollar economic engine.
