Company turns to cybersquatting claim after failed purchase attempt.
QuickBooks maker Intuit attempted to reverse hijack the domain name QB.com, a UDRP panel has ruled.
A Chinese individual bought the domain name in 2017 for the equivalent of $2.9 million. He bought it because “QB” is the pinyin abbreviation for “QianBao” (wallet). He used it for a cryptocurrency exchange for a couple of years before listing it for sale again.
Intuit attempted to buy the domain for $2.5 million. When those efforts failed, the company filed the cybersquatting claim.
In the dispute, Intuit argued that the Respondent’s use of the domain for a cryptocurrency exchange was illegal, thus depriving him of legitimate rights in the domain. It based this allegation on low-level government advisories with little legal effect, and didn’t show that they applied to the Respondent’s business.
The panel found that this was a Plan B reverse domain name hijacking, in which a company turns to the UDRP after failing to acquire a domain through a commercial transaction. It also cited Intuit’s seemingly false claim of illegality.
The decision in Chinese is here (pdf). Thank you to Internet Commerce Association for analyzing the case.
These frivolous complaints would vanish over night if ICANN (who wrote the UDRP) weren’t so heavily lobbied by corporate intellectual property lawyers who make up one of the most powerful and well funded lobbying groups within ICANN.
ICANN could patch the UDRP to demand a stake on the complainer’s own valuation as collateral. In the QB.com’s case, Intuit put a $2.5 million offer in writing. Under my proposed update to the UDRP system, the panel would look at that, require Intuit to escrow a $250,000 to $500,000 stake (10-20%) to proceed, and Intuit’s lawyers would suddenly have to think very carefully about whether their frivolous claim is worth gambling half a million dollars over. If there is no prior offer, there could simply be a standard baseline stake.
As long as there is no penalty for frivolous claims, companies will keep trying these underhanded strategies to seize the property from their rightful owners. Intuit makes billions of dollars in profits, but are still too greedy to pay a man the proper price for the domain they want so badly. What kind of shamelessness is that?
Thanks.
That is so appalling, and what a valuable domain, especially now.
Is Rick going to put them on HallofShame.com?
Can hardly think of a more warranted instance.
Side note: what a valuable use “QB” in the sense of “Quarterback” would be, ay? And I’m not even into football.
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Intuit Inc
NASDAQ: INTU
108.49 billion USD
Market capitalization
“Intuit’s annual net income (profit) for fiscal year 2025 was $3.869 billion, marking a significant 30.58% increase from 2024. Total revenue for FY2025 reached $18.831 billion. As of early 2026, the company continues to see strong growth, with trailing twelve-month net income reaching $4.34 billion as of January 31, 2026.”