Without any explanation, dotDB, a search engine for registered domains, has had its PayPal account permanently suspended. As a result, the company has been forced to accept only credit cards as payment while any funds held by PayPal will be frozen for up to 180 days.



It was discovered that the suspension came about when a subscriber disputed their payment, although an investigation revealed that the subscriber had extensively used dotDB's services for a month before making the dispute. The subscriber had already requested refunds twice in 2022 as the 30-day subscription period was coming to an end, both of which were granted in good faith.

After requesting a refund for the third time in March 2023, dotDB provided evidence to PayPal that the subscriber was exploiting their services and not intending to pay. Despite this, dotDB was informed by PayPal on April 18th, 2023, that its account had been permanently suspended due to potential risk.

DotDB is currently seeking legal and public support to raise awareness of the issue and recover its account. This is not an isolated incident, as other domain services such as Namebio and Sav.com have previously experienced the same PayPal ban. The suspension of accounts can have a significant impact on business operations, especially for domain investors who rely on PayPal as their primary payment method.

DotDB is a decentralized database project that aims to provide secure and censorship-resistant storage for applications and websites. In recent times, it faced a setback when its PayPal account was suspended or terminated. This action was likely taken due to concerns related to the nature of DotDB's operations.

However, losing access to its PayPal account did not deter DotDB from continuing its mission. The project swiftly adapted and explored alternative payment methods to ensure the sustainability of its operations. DotDB may have turned to other popular online payment systems like Stripe or Payoneer, or even utilized cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum.

Additionally, DotDB might have also reached out to its community and supporters to seek assistance, either through direct financial contributions or other collaborative efforts. By leveraging its strong user base and engaging with the wider tech community, DotDB fights back by finding creative solutions to overcome obstacles.

It's crucial to note that while the loss of a PayPal account can be challenging, it often inspires determination and resilience in innovative projects like DotDB. Such setbacks can lead to new opportunities for growth, diversification, and decentralization, ultimately strengthening the project's overall foundation and vision.