# Epik compared: US ownership vs Panamanian jurisdiction

> Epik alternative in October 2026: Epik is now owned by US firm Registered Agents Inc. Jurisdiction, crypto (not confirmed at Epik) and a $15.99 vs $11.99 .com.

- URL: https://panamaregistrar.com/compare/epik/
- Last updated: 2026-10-19
- Publisher: PanamaRegistrar (https://panamaregistrar.com)

Epik changed hands in 2023 and repositioned itself for small businesses. If you chose it years ago for its old reputation, here is what is documented today, and how PanamaRegistrar differs.

**Quick answer — How does Epik compare with a service under Panamanian law in 2026?**

Epik's registrar business was sold in June 2023 to Epik LLC, a company of Registered Agents Inc., a US firm, so US courts reach it directly. **PanamaRegistrar** answers to Panamanian law, as of October 2026: it publishes its complaint procedure, takes 6 cryptocurrencies, and charges $11.99 for a .com against $15.99 at Epik.

## Epik and PanamaRegistrar in seven lines

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Epik's owner | Registered Agents Inc. (United States), through Epik LLC; sale in June 2023, announced February 2024 |
| ICANN accreditation | Transferred from Epik Inc to Epik LLC with ICANN approval (reported 4 February 2024) |
| Our operator | DomaineGoat LLC, a company incorporated in Panama, working through an ICANN-accredited registrar partner |
| Crypto at Epik | Not confirmed in 2026 (Bitcoin announced in 2016) |
| Crypto here | BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC |
| .com price | Epik $15.99 first year and renewal (8 October 2026) · PanamaRegistrar $11.99/year |
| Written takedown procedure | Epik: not reviewed · PanamaRegistrar: [published](https://panamaregistrar.com/takedown-procedure/) |

## Epik vs PanamaRegistrar, side by side

Ownership facts come from DomainIncite (4 February 2024) and TechRadar. Epik prices come from domainoffer.net, updated 8 October 2026. We could not confirm Epik's payment methods for 2026.

|  | Epik | PanamaRegistrar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Owner | Registered Agents Inc., via Epik LLC | DomaineGoat LLC |
| Country of the operator | United States | Panama |
| Stated focus | Small businesses and entrepreneurs (per Epik, February 2024) | Domains under a written procedure, paid in crypto |
| ID document | Not confirmed | No |
| Crypto | Not confirmed in 2026 | BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC |
| .com, first year / renewal | $15.99 / $15.99 | $11.99 / $11.99 |
| .net | $14.95 | $12.99 |
| .org | $13.95 | $12.99 |
| .io | $55.95 | $52.99 |
| Takedown on a complaint alone | — (policy not reviewed for this page) | No, except phishing, malware, botnets, CSAM and fraud on a documented report |
| Customer data released on | — (policy not reviewed for this page) | Only when Panamanian law requires it (a Panamanian court or prosecutor's order), or in a UDRP case |
| Transparency report on complaints | — (none found) | every quarter, first January 2027 |

*Prices checked on October 8, 2026.*

Epik prices are the same for registration and renewal in the domainoffer.net data. 'Not confirmed' means no current, dated source was found.

## Who owns Epik in 2026?

Registered Agents Inc., a US registered agent company, through a subsidiary called Epik LLC. DomainIncite reported on 4 February 2024 that Registered Agents had announced the purchase of key Epik assets. The same report says Epik LLC bought Epik Inc.'s business the previous June, that is June 2023.

ICANN approved the transfer of Epik's registrar accreditation from Epik Inc to Epik LLC in the week before that report. According to DomainIncite, Epik and ICANN said the new company is independent of the former owners.

TechRadar covered the sale under the headline "the world's most controversial domain registrar has a new owner". That is TechRadar's description, not a legal finding. We found no 2026 report of a further change of owner.

## What changed at Epik after the sale?

By Epik's own account, reported by DomainIncite in February 2024, three things changed. It said it had removed problematic clients, updated its terms of service and refocused on small businesses and entrepreneurs.

That matters if you picked Epik years ago for a hands-off reputation. The company you contract with today is a different legal entity, with a US owner and a stated business focus. Older reviews and lists that still describe Epik as it was before 2023 may be out of date.

We do not judge Epik's current practice; we could not review its complaint or disclosure policy for this page. What we can say is where each company stands in law: Epik LLC answers to US courts directly, and we answer to Panamanian courts. Domains are registered through our ICANN-accredited registrar partner.

## Does Epik still accept crypto?

Not confirmed. Epik announced Bitcoin payments in October 2016, as reported by OnlineDomain at the time. Many lists still repeat that fact. We found no current, dated Epik page confirming crypto payment in 2026, so we mark it 'not confirmed'.

PanamaRegistrar accepts crypto only: Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Litecoin (LTC). You top up a prepaid balance, minimum $25, and pay registrations, renewals and transfers from it. Send the exact amount on the exact network; the top-up is credited after the network confirmations. Monero is not accepted. See [buying a domain with crypto](https://panamaregistrar.com/buy-domain-with-crypto/).

## How do Epik's prices compare?

On the four extensions we compared, PanamaRegistrar is lower, at the October 2026 data. Epik charged $15.99 for a .com, $14.95 for a .net, $13.95 for a .org and $55.95 for a .io, per domainoffer.net on 8 October 2026. We charge $11.99, $12.99, $12.99 and $52.99.

Both keep the renewal equal to the first year on these extensions, so there is no renewal jump at either. A transfer to us costs one year at our transfer price, $11.99 for a .com, and adds that year. All 43 extensions are on the [price list](https://panamaregistrar.com/pricing/).

## What happens to a complaint at PanamaRegistrar?

It is logged and sorted into one of two tracks. Every complaint gets an automatic acknowledgement with a reference number; with Domain protection, it is also read by a person before any action on the domain.

- **Strict exceptions.** Phishing, malware, botnets, child sexual abuse material and fraud that takes money from victims are suspended on a well-documented report.
- **Everything else waits for a court.** Copyright, defamation, political or competitor complaints need a decision from a Panamanian court. A foreign judgment must first be recognised in Panama by exequatur.

You are told before any action on your domain, unless the law or the court order forbids it. Trademark disputes follow the UDRP, as ICANN requires: the domain is locked within 2 business days of the provider's request. The full steps are on the [takedown procedure](https://panamaregistrar.com/takedown-procedure/) page, and trademark cases on [UDRP and URS](https://panamaregistrar.com/udrp-and-urs/).

## Questions about Epik and PanamaRegistrar

### Who owns Epik now?

Registered Agents Inc., a US company, through Epik LLC. DomainIncite reported the announced purchase of key Epik assets on 4 February 2024. It also reported that Epik LLC bought the business in June 2023. ICANN approved the transfer of the registrar accreditation to Epik LLC shortly before that report.

### Is Epik still a registrar in 2026?

Yes, as far as the sources we checked show. Epik LLC holds the ICANN accreditation transferred from Epik Inc in early 2024, and domainoffer.net listed Epik prices on 8 October 2026. We found no 2026 report of a closure or a new sale. PanamaRegistrar is operated by DomaineGoat LLC, a company incorporated in Panama, through an ICANN-accredited registrar partner.

### Does Epik accept Bitcoin in 2026?

Not confirmed. Epik announced Bitcoin payments in 2016, but we found no current, dated Epik page confirming crypto in 2026. PanamaRegistrar accepts BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC from a prepaid balance with a minimum top-up of $25. Monero is not accepted.

### Is a .com cheaper at Epik or PanamaRegistrar?

At PanamaRegistrar, at the October 2026 data. Epik's .com was $15.99 for registration and renewal on 8 October 2026, per domainoffer.net. We charge $11.99, the same to renew and to transfer. Prices change, so check both before you move a large portfolio.

### Why does Epik's new owner matter to me?

Because the company that holds your contract and your data changed. Epik LLC is owned by a US company and answers to US courts directly. Its stated focus since 2024 is small businesses. If you picked Epik for its earlier reputation, check its current terms before relying on old reviews.

### How do I move domains from Epik to PanamaRegistrar?

Unlock each domain at Epik and get its transfer code. Start the transfer from your PanamaRegistrar account and pay one year at our transfer price, $11.99 for a .com, which adds a year to a generic extension. The transfer code here is free if you later want to leave, outside ICANN's 60-day transfer lock after a registration or a transfer.

### Can a US court still reach my .com at PanamaRegistrar?

Yes, through the registry. Verisign, which runs .com and .net, is in Reston, Virginia, and a US court can order it directly. Moving from Epik to us changes the law that governs the company you deal with, not the registry's. See [can a foreign court seize my domain?](https://panamaregistrar.com/guides/can-a-foreign-court-seize-my-domain/).

## Sources

1. [Epik gets acquired again, the plot thickens](https://domainincite.com/29434-epik-gets-acquired-again-the-plot-thickens) — DomainIncite (2024-02-04)
2. [The world's most controversial domain registrar has a new owner, and apparently it is forging a new path](https://www.techradar.com/pro/the-worlds-most-controversial-domain-registrar-has-a-new-owner-and-apparently-it-is-forging-a-new-path) — TechRadar (2024, checked 2026-10-19)
3. [Epik announces support for Bitcoin domain name transactions](https://onlinedomain.com/2016/10/13/domain-name-news/epik-announces-support-bitcoin-domain-name-transactions/) — OnlineDomain (2016-10-13)
4. [.com prices by registrar](https://domainoffer.net/tld/com) — domainoffer.net (prices updated 2026-10-08)
5. [UDRP Rules, paragraph 4 (lock within two business days)](https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/udrp-rules-2015-03-11-en) — ICANN (effective 2015-07-31, checked 2026-10-19)
6. [Ley 61 de 7 de octubre de 2015 (Código de Derecho Internacional Privado), arts. 155–157](https://s3-legispan.asamblea.gob.pa/legispan/NORMAS/2010/2015/LEY/Administrador%20Legispan_27885-A_2015_10_8_ASAMBLEA%20NACIONAL_61.pdf) — Asamblea Nacional (Legispan) (2015-10-08, checked 2026-10-19)
7. [Ley 478 de 4 de agosto de 2025 (Código Procesal Penal art. 338-C)](https://www.gacetaoficial.gob.pa/pdfTemp/30337/GacetaNo_30337_20250805.pdf) — Gaceta Oficial No. 30337 (2025-08-05, checked 2026-10-19)
8. [Root Zone Database: .com](https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/com.html) — IANA (checked 2026-10-19)

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PanamaRegistrar: PanamaRegistrar is a domain registration service under Panamanian jurisdiction, paid in crypto with no ID upload: we act on Panamanian court orders, not on unverified complaints.