Domain Names

The TLD Fight Is On: 1,615 Applications, and One Question Nobody Is Asking

ICANN's 2026 new gTLD round attracted 1,615 applications, with competition concentrated on contested extensions. Strong registration growth contrasts with weak renewal rates, raising questions about long-term demand and commercial viability.

From Apps to Agents: How the 2026 New gTLD Strings Mirror a Changed Internet

ICANN's 2026 new gTLD applications reveal a shift toward AI agents, developer infrastructure and digital trust, with .agent replacing .app as the most contested string amid growing competition and persistent geographic disparities.

Big Brands, Bold Moves: The 2026 dotBrand Wave

ICANN's 2026 new gTLD round attracted 333 dotBrand applications, representing 20.6% of submissions. Participation across major industries reflects growing interest in controlling branded namespaces and strengthening enterprise digital identity.

How AI Answer Engines Are Quietly Rewriting What Makes a Domain “Brandable”

As AI answer engines become referral channels, domain distinctiveness may matter more than exact-match search intent, challenging traditional valuation models built around keyword demand, traffic and historical sales.

The Namespace You Plan - and the One That Takes Shape

Structural analysis of four established gTLD namespaces suggests registration totals alone offer an incomplete picture. Tracking composition alongside operational data could help new registry operators investigate whether their namespaces are developing as intended.

Governance Theater: Why the gTLD Expansion Program Is a Lose-Lose Proposition

ICANN's gTLD expansion program is structured to collect fees regardless of outcomes, leaving brand, portfolio and single-string applicants bearing financial risk while accountability mechanisms offer little meaningful remedy when the process fails.

A Domain Is Registered. But Is It Really Unavailable?

RFC 10023 standardizes a DNS TXT record that lets domain holders signal a registered name is for sale, giving registrars, marketplaces, brokers and search tools a machine-readable way to distinguish registration from purchase availability.

How CZDS Zone Data Helps Detect Domain Abuse

Daily CZDS zone data can help brand owners and investigators detect suspicious domain registrations earlier, trace related infrastructure, monitor expired names, and shift enforcement from reactive disputes toward faster, evidence-based intervention.

Two Years After His Arrest, Pavel Durov Wants to Run His Own Registry

Telegram says it has applied for .gram, potentially giving a billion users DNS addresses while putting its governance, abuse controls, legal exposure and infrastructure under scrutiny as ICANN prepares to reveal applications.

auDA Moves to Tighten .com.au and .net.au Eligibility: What the Coming Changes Mean for Registrants

auDA has approved in principle tighter .com.au and .net.au eligibility rules that would limit registrations to domains matching a registrant's business name or Australian trademark, with implementation details and timing still pending.