Entrepreneur Acquires Friendster Domain and Trademarks for $30k
Original: I bought Friendster for $30k – Here's what I'm doing with it
Why This Matters
Revival of pioneering social network focuses on authentic in-person connections
Mike Carson purchased the Friendster domain for $30k after it expired in 2015, later acquiring its trademarks in 2025. He's rebuilding the early social network with a focus on in-person connections through phone tapping verification.
Mike Carson noticed friendster.com was active again in October 2023 after being dormant since 2015, showing popup ads. The domain had been purchased at a Chinese auction site for $7,456 by someone generating ad revenue. Carson negotiated a deal involving $20k in Bitcoin plus a revenue-generating domain worth $9k annually. He also acquired the Friendster trademarks in May 2025 after they expired. Carson is recreating Friendster as a positive social network, developing an iOS app that requires users to tap phones together to connect as friends, promoting real-world meetings and verification of genuine connections.