Australia's Westpac acquires the westpac.com domain

Westpac Banking Corporation has managed to purchase the westpac.com domain from a semiconductor business that previously owned it since 1998.

The sale and transfer of ownership between Westpac Associates and Westpac Banking Corporation was brokered by Perth-based Richard Coogan.

It’s unknown what Westpac paid for the westpac.com domain but tests show that it now redirects to westpac.com.au instead of to a South Korean website for semiconductors and other electronics componentry.

It’s understood Australia’s Westpac put a redirect from the .com domain to its .com.au site in early July.

Although Westpac Banking Corporation isn’t listed on the whois records as the official owner of westpac.com, iTnews was able to independently verify that the bank did indeed now own the domain.

“While the sale terms are confidential, I will say I'm thrilled to see Australia’s first bank and oldest company acquire its .com domain,” Coogan told iTnews.

Fellow ‘Big Four’ bank NAB has also previously acquired its .com domain name, though its reasons for doing so were likely motivated by the adult content formerly hosted there.