New gTLDs

New gTLDs are the thousands of generic top-level domains introduced since 2014 under ICANN's New gTLD Program, which opened the domain name space beyond the traditional handful of extensions. They include descriptive extensions like .shop, .blog, and .tech, as well as brand TLDs (.google, .apple) and geographic strings (.london, .nyc). Over 1,200 new gTLDs are now delegated in the DNS root.

Google has stated that new gTLDs are treated the same as any other generic TLD — the extension itself is not a ranking factor. In practice, .com domains often outperform new gTLDs because they tend to have older ages, more backlinks, and stronger brand recognition. A new gTLD can rank well with quality content and good SEO, but it faces the same competitive dynamics as any new domain.

A brand TLD is a top-level domain that represents a company's own brand name, such as .google, .apple, .bmw, or .amazon. Companies apply for these through ICANN's New gTLD Program. Brand TLDs are typically used to create short, memorable URLs (like g.co) or to launch internal portals. Applications cost $185,000, making brand TLDs the domain of large enterprises.

.io is the ccTLD for the British Indian Ocean Territory, but it has been widely adopted by tech startups because 'IO' is shorthand for 'input/output' — a fundamental computing concept. Its availability, two-letter brevity, and tech connotations made it a popular alternative when .com names were taken. Note that as a ccTLD, .io is governed by its own registry and may be affected by geopolitical developments regarding the territory.

If the .com version of your desired name is available and affordable, choose .com — it offers maximum brand recognition, trust, and ease of type-in traffic. If .com is taken or prohibitively expensive, a descriptive new gTLD can be a strong alternative: for example, a software tool might do well on .app or .dev, a store on .shop, or a blog on .blog. The key is picking a name that is memorable and that you will use consistently across all marketing channels.

The ICANN New gTLD Program is the initiative that opened the domain name space beyond the original handful of extensions like .com, .net, and .org. Launched in 2012, the first round accepted nearly 2,000 applications by the close of the application window. The program allows companies, governments, and communities to apply for and operate their own TLDs — from descriptive strings like .shop and .tech, to brand TLDs like .google, to geographic TLDs like .nyc and .london. Over 1,200 new gTLDs have been delegated into the DNS root as a result.

The application fee for a new gTLD in ICANN's first round was $185,000 USD per application — a figure that remained unchanged for the second round. Beyond the application fee, successful applicants pay an annual ICANN registry fee (around $25,000 per year as of 2024) plus the costs of a registry backend provider, technical infrastructure, legal counsel, and staffing. Total first-year costs for a new registry operator easily exceed $500,000, making new gTLD applications the domain of well-funded organizations and enterprises.

A Sunrise period is a reserved phase at the beginning of a new gTLD's launch during which trademark holders verified in the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) can register their exact mark as a domain before the general public can. ICANN requires all new gTLD registries to run a Sunrise period of at least 30 days. Sunrise registrations typically cost more than standard registration fees because they convey priority rights. This mechanism was designed to give brand owners a head start and reduce the volume of cybersquatting at launch.

A Landrush period is an early-access phase for new gTLDs that follows the Sunrise period and precedes General Availability. During Landrush, any registrant — not just trademark holders — can register domain names, often at a premium price to compensate the registry for managing simultaneous high demand. If multiple parties apply for the same domain during Landrush, the registry typically holds an auction to determine who gets it. Not all new gTLDs run a formal Landrush; some go directly from Sunrise to General Availability.

General Availability (GA) is the phase when a new gTLD is open to all registrants on a first-come, first-served basis at standard pricing. It follows the Sunrise and Landrush periods and marks the point at which the TLD behaves like any established extension. Once in GA, registrants can register any available domain in the TLD through accredited registrars. The Claims notification service continues for the first 90 days of General Availability, alerting potential registrants of matching TMCH-registered trademarks.

Of the approximately 1,930 applications submitted in the first round, several hundred were withdrawn before delegation — some due to financial difficulties, others due to objections or contention with other applicants. A handful of TLDs that were delegated never achieved meaningful adoption and remain effectively dormant with fewer than a thousand registrations. A small number of early operators sold or transferred their registry agreements as the economics proved challenging. ICANN publishes the full delegation and status history in its IANA root zone database.

.xyz has consistently led new gTLD registrations, at times holding tens of millions of registered domains — partly driven by low promotional pricing. Other high-volume new gTLDs include .top, .site, .online, .store, and .tech. Industry-specific extensions like .app, .dev, and .io (technically a ccTLD) have strong reputations despite smaller total registration counts. Registration volume alone is not a reliable quality indicator — many high-volume TLDs contain a significant proportion of speculative or parked registrations rather than active websites.

A community-based TLD is a new gTLD applied for by an organization representing a defined community, with registration eligibility restricted to members of that community. Examples include .bank (restricted to licensed financial institutions), .pharmacy (restricted to licensed pharmacies), and .museum (restricted to museums meeting specific criteria). Community-based TLDs receive preferential treatment under ICANN's evaluation process and are designed to add credibility and trust — a .bank domain signals regulatory compliance in a way that a .com domain cannot.

In principle, any established organization with the financial and technical capacity can apply for a new gTLD through ICANN's program. Individual consumers and small businesses are not the target applicant profile — the $185,000 application fee, ongoing registry infrastructure costs, and strict technical and financial requirements effectively limit applicants to corporations, large non-profits, and government bodies. Applicants must demonstrate operational capability, financial stability, and a credible business plan. ICANN evaluates applications for technical readiness, financial health, and community support.

ICANN's second round of new gTLD applications — formally known as the 2026 round under the Subsequent Procedures (SubPro) program — opened its application window in 2026. The second round introduced several policy improvements over the 2012 round, including a revised evaluation framework, provisions for underserved communities, and safeguards against speculative applications. Application fees and registry requirements remain substantial. Organizations interested in applying should monitor ICANN's official communications and the gTLD Applicant Guidebook for the latest specifications.

Geographic new gTLDs represent cities, regions, or localities — distinct from two-letter country-code TLDs. Examples include .london, .nyc, .paris, .tokyo, .berlin, and .miami. These TLDs are typically operated by city governments or private entities with municipal support and may have eligibility requirements tied to residency or business presence in the geographic area. They serve local community-building and business identity purposes but have generally attracted fewer registrations than industry-vertical new gTLDs.

ICANN's Subsequent Procedures (SubPro) program is the policy development process that defined the rules for running additional rounds of new gTLD applications after the initial 2012 round. The SubPro working group spent several years reviewing lessons learned from the first round and produced recommendations covering application evaluation, contention resolution, community objection processes, and safeguards for sensitive strings. The outcome of SubPro directly shaped the framework for the 2026 application round, making it one of the most significant multi-stakeholder policy processes in ICANN's history.

TLD registry operators pay ICANN an annual fixed fee of approximately $25,000 plus a variable fee based on registration volume above a threshold. Registry operators also pay their backend technology provider (companies like Verisign, CentralNic, or Donuts/Identity Digital) ongoing platform fees, which can be significant depending on the contract structure. Additional costs include marketing, registrar outreach, DNS infrastructure, abuse monitoring required by ICANN's registry agreement, WHOIS/RDAP services, and legal compliance. Annual operating costs for a low-volume registry can exceed $200,000.

A delegated TLD is one that has been added to the IANA root zone database and is therefore resolvable on the global internet — meaning domains under it will actually work in browsers. An un-delegated TLD is one that was applied for but never added to the root zone, either because the application was withdrawn, rejected, or is still in the pre-delegation evaluation phase. Using an un-delegated TLD in internal networks can cause conflicts once it is eventually delegated, which ICANN has warned about as a security risk. The IANA root zone database lists all currently delegated TLDs.

Several new gTLD applications attracted significant controversy and were ultimately blocked or withdrawn. The .amazon application was a multi-year dispute between Amazon the company and South American governments that objected to the commercialization of the river's name — Amazon eventually prevailed in 2019. The .wine and .vin applications sparked objections from European governments over geographic indications. Strings like .sucks and .wtf were contested on reputational grounds. ICANN's objection procedures allowed governments, communities, and organizations to formally challenge strings deemed harmful, morally objectionable, or infringing on existing rights.

Yes. ICANN's new gTLD program includes Internationalized Domain Names (IDN) TLDs — top-level domains written in non-Latin scripts such as Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, Devanagari, and Korean. IDN TLDs allow entire domain names, including the TLD, to appear in a user's native script. Examples include the Arabic-script equivalent of .web, Chinese-script TLDs like .网络 (network) and .游戏 (games), and Cyrillic-script extensions. These TLDs aim to make the internet more accessible and natural for the billions of users who do not use the Latin alphabet.

A backend registry provider (also called a registry services provider or RSP) is a company that operates the technical infrastructure for a TLD on behalf of the registry operator. The RSP manages the authoritative DNS, EPP (domain registration protocol), RDAP/WHOIS services, zone file generation, abuse handling, and regulatory reporting. Major RSPs include Identity Digital (formerly Donuts/Afilias), CentralNic, Verisign, and Neustar. Many new gTLD operators — especially brand TLD holders — use RSPs rather than building their own infrastructure, since the technical requirements set by ICANN are demanding.

Restricted or premium new gTLDs can be significantly more expensive than .com. .bank domains require regulatory verification and cost around $1,000–$2,000 per year. .pharmacy and .health carry similar verification costs. Industry-demand TLDs like .ai and .io (the latter technically a ccTLD) often command $70–$100+ per year for standard registrations, while premium names within those TLDs can cost thousands. Some new gTLD registries set premium tiers for short, keyword-rich names, with prices ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars for the most valuable strings.

New gTLD registries generate revenue primarily through wholesale registration fees paid by accredited registrars for each domain registered, renewed, or transferred under their TLD. Registries also earn from premium domain sales — setting higher prices for short or keyword-rich names — and from application fees collected during Sunrise and Landrush phases. Some registries charge registrars backend access fees. Brand TLD operators (who do not sell registrations to the public) instead view their TLD as a brand asset rather than a revenue source. Many smaller new gTLD registries have struggled to reach profitability given the high operating costs.

A TLD sunset (or retirement) is the process of permanently removing a top-level domain from the DNS root zone, making all domains under it unresolvable. This is a rare and serious event requiring ICANN approval and an orderly wind-down process that gives registrants time to migrate. The .yu (Yugoslavia) ccTLD was retired after the country dissolved. Under ICANN's registry agreements, operators wishing to exit must provide at least 180 days' notice and cooperate with a transition plan to protect existing registrants. No major new gTLD has been fully retired to date, though some have been sold or transferred to new operators.