The website jiohotstar.com, a domain of now merged groups Reliance Jio and Disney Hotstar, is finally with Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd., ending claims of ownership by a Delhi man and Dubai siblings.Sources from Viacom 18 confirmed the same to ET Online on Wednesday. WHOIS data, too, showed that the domain is owned by Mukesh Ambani-owned Viacom 18, registered on September 20, 2023, and is valid until September 20, 2026, with the last update recorded on December 2, 2024.The registrant, administrative, and technical contact for jiohotstar.com is listed as Manish Painuly, representing Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd. 115958915India's largest merger and acquisition deal in the media and entertainment (M&E) sector, valued at ₹70,352 crore, was concluded in November, with the merger of Viacom18's TV and digital businesses into Star India securing all necessary regulatory approvals in India and abroad.The domain name has been a talking point among the masses during this merger. Domain names can be profitable investments, similar to real estate. They act as online addresses directing users to websites. Valuable domains often relate to popular terms or catchy words. Investors buy these domains at low prices hoping to sell them later for a profit. “Like any investment or trade, it involves buying domain names at a low price with the aim of selling these at a higher price. This could involve generic names, brandable names and emerging trends or keywords,” says Gaurav Sahay, Practice Head, Technology & General Corporate, Fox Mandal & Associates LLP.Also Read: Jio-Hotstar row takes a new turn: Now Jiostar.com emerges with 'coming soon' teaserThe highest domain sale ever recorded was $872 million. Domain investors watch for new technology trends to buy related domains early. While .ai domains are gaining popularity due to artificial intelligence, .com domains remain the most sought after. NameBio reports the top-selling domain in the past five years was a .com address, selling for $15.5 million. Several .ai domains like you.ai, stack.ai, and sound.ai have also sold, fetching between $250,000 and $700,000.How it startedA Delhi-based app developer had claimed that he secured the domain name "JioHotstar.com," anticipating a potential merger between Reliance's JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar. The developer, in a letter published on the website, had reached out to Reliance Industries, proposing that the company fund his higher education in exchange for the domain.Later, Dubai-based siblings, Jainam and Jivika, acquired the domain from the Delhi app developer.They had offered to give the JioHotstar domain name to “Team Reliance” for free. The siblings stated their intention on the website: "With all the discussions happening, we now think it might be best for Team Reliance to have this domain, if they want it. We are happy to give [JioHotstar domain] to them for free, with all the proper paperwork."This decision comes after the siblings received numerous offers to buy the domain, some genuine and offering significant sums. However, they maintained that the domain was never for sale.The siblings purchased the domain to support the developer and emphasize their “seva (service) journey.” They clarified that they never intended to profit from the domain or create controversy.Later, a new website 'Jiostar.com' also emerged with the teaser 'coming soon.'