- ICANN reopens applications for new top-level domains after 14 years
- New domains can use multiple scripts across hundreds of languages
- Applicants must prove technical and financial ability to operate registries
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has opened the application window for a new round of generic top-level domains (gTLDs).
This is the first time in 14 years that companies, communities and governments can apply to run their own TLDs.
The previous round in 2012 introduced more than 1,200 new gTLDs, including well-known examples such as .google, .microsoft, .africa and even .bananarepublic.
What a gTLD really is and who can get one
A generic top-level domain is the part of a web address that appears after the last dot.
Traditional examples include .com, .org and .net, but the new round allows for custom strings like .brand, .city or .industry.
Any business, community, government or organization can apply to run its own TLD.
The applicant must demonstrate the technical and financial ability to run a domain registry, but there is no requirement to be a large company.
Small towns, non-profits, trade associations and even wealthy individuals are eligible to apply.
ICANN now accepts applications in 27 different scripts representing hundreds of languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Devanagari and Thai.
Successful applicants gain control over who can register domains under their chosen string, effectively creating their own digital ecosystem.
This extension will make the Internet more accessible to the billions of people who use non-Latin-based scripts.
Why brands and cities are lining up to apply
Operating a gTLD offers several different benefits to organizations willing to pay the application fee.
Brand owners gain tighter security control over their online presence and can build trust with customers through verified domain registrations.
Marketers overwhelmingly agree on the benefits, with 92% acknowledging that gTLDs offer differentiation, increased trust and improved search engine optimization.
Geographical locations such as cities or regions can create vibrant local digital ecosystems under their own TLD.
Communities can strengthen their identity online while maintaining full control over who participates in their domain area.
The application submission window closes on August 12, 2026, giving interested parties just over three months to apply.
The online TLD Application Management System handles all submissions, and ICANN has published an Applicant Guide as the authoritative resource for the process.
For wealthy and influential people like President Trump, the .trump domain is well within reach.
That would give him exclusive control of every domain ending in his own last name, a powerful digital asset for fundraising and messaging.
The 2026 round could produce hundreds of new TLDs, and speculation about who will apply for it has already begun.
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