What is the story of the .nu domain that Paul Mockapetris tells?

Paul Mockapetris recalls that countries such as France and Sweden made registering under their own country codes slow and bureaucratic. An acquaintance offered to run the .nu domain for the Pacific island of Niue in exchange for a cut, then sold names cheaply per registration to customers in Sweden and France, signing up tens of thousands. The operation was eventually shut down and Sweden took control of .nu, citing national security because so many Swedes depended on it.

• Mockapetris says the exact revenue share promised to Niue, and whether it was paid, is disputed.
• Mockapetris and Ryan Peterman note similar windfalls for Anguilla with .ai and Colombia with .co.

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on Ryan Peterman (2026-10-19). Read the whole episode summary →

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