The .si domain extension has seen a sharp increase in registrations after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to replace references to “AI” and “artificial intelligence” with “SI” and “super intelligence.” The spike has drawn comparisons to the surge in demand for .ai domains during the artificial intelligence boom, which generated significant revenue for Anguilla, the territory associated with that domain extension.
The .si domain is primarily associated with Slovenia, the home country of First Lady Melania Trump. Since the executive order was signed, registries and hosting providers have reported a substantial rise in registrations as businesses, investors, and individuals move to secure related domain names.
Registrations Jump Following Executive Order
According to Registry SI, the organization responsible for managing Slovenia’s domain registry, registrations rose dramatically in September. Registry SI spokesperson Klara Herman told the BBC that purchases of .si domains increased by 2,199% during the month.
The registry recorded 11,000 new domain registrations on September 30, one day after President Trump signed the executive order. Nearly 13,000 additional .si domains were registered during the following 24 hours.
Herman cautioned against attributing the entire increase solely to the executive order. However, the timing of the registrations has drawn significant attention as interest in “super intelligence” terminology grows.
Hosting Providers Report Mixed Results
Not all hosting providers have reported the same level of activity. GoDaddy said it does not currently host .si domains, while Squarespace had not responded to inquiries at the time of publication.
Wix said it had not observed a meaningful increase in .si registrations since September 29. A company spokesperson noted that activity remained relatively limited but said the trend could still develop further.
By contrast, web hosting company Hostinger reported a significant increase in demand. The company said .si had become its second most popular domain extension after .com.
Hostinger recorded approximately 4,300 .si registrations on September 30 and about 5,400 on October 1. More than three-quarters of all .si domains registered through the platform since September 23 were purchased during those two days.
The company also found that more than half of buyers came from the United States and India.
Speculation Emerges Around Domain Names
Hostinger said only around 3% of newly registered .si domains appear directly related to artificial intelligence or super intelligence. Most registrations were classified as unassigned or unrelated to a specific industry category.
The company believes many buyers are individuals and businesses seeking to secure names for future use. However, it also noted signs of speculative activity, with some registrants potentially purchasing domains for future resale.
Genius PR CEO Kim Than said he purchased the .si version of his company’s name to protect the brand if demand continues to grow. He said the relatively low registration cost made it worthwhile to secure the domain before prices potentially increase.
Than described domain names as digital collectibles and said some founders are acquiring additional .si domains because they view the extension as a possible successor to the recent popularity of .ai domains.
Industry Sees Growth Potential But Not A Replacement For .ai
Hostinger’s Head of Domains, Klaudijus Januitis, said demand for .si is likely to continue growing. However, he does not expect the extension to replace .ai in the near future.
Januitis described .si as a more available and affordable alternative for businesses seeking branding opportunities related to super intelligence. He also noted that the economic impact is unlikely to mirror what Anguilla experienced with .ai domains.
Unlike .ai, which carries premium registration fees that directly benefit the Anguillan government, .si registrations are considerably cheaper and revenue flows to the registry rather than Slovenia’s treasury. On Hostinger, .si domains cost about $12 per year, while .ai domains cost around $90 annually and require a two-year registration commitment.
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