Crypto.com was founded in 2016 in Hong Kong by Kris Marszalek, Rafael Melo, Gary Or, and Bobby Bao — initially as Monaco, a Visa card that converted crypto to fiat in real time. The pitch was simple: spend your crypto anywhere Visa works. The execution took years.
In 2018, the company rebranded to Crypto.com — after acquiring the domain for a reported $12 million, one of the most expensive domain purchases in history. The rebrand signalled ambition. The exchange launched in 2019. By 2021, Crypto.com had signed naming rights for the Staples Center in Los Angeles — now the Crypto.com Arena — for $700 million over 20 years, the largest naming rights deal in sports history at the time. Matt Damon appeared in a global TV campaign. The industry took notice.
Then in 2023 they acquired AI.com — redirecting it to their platform — a move that reflected the same brand instinct that drove the Crypto.com domain acquisition. The company understood that the right address changes perception.
By 2026, Crypto.com operates as one of the world's largest regulated crypto platforms — 150 million users, 90 countries, MiCA-licensed in Malta through Foris DAX MT Limited at Spinola Park, St. Julians. The same island where you're reading this.