Not long after the new gTLD application window closed, companies began to tell the world about the domain name extensions they had applied to operate. The full list of applications will not be public for another month, but the ICANNWiki TLD Hub has already identified 752 proposed extensions out of the more than 1,600 applications received by ICANN. These extensions could ostensibly launch over the next decade.
Readers who participated in the application round themselves are keeping tabs on these announcements, primarily to see whether anybody else applied for the same domain extension. That is a given. This article is for the rest of our readers: IP professionals who were not involved in an application, but whose work will nevertheless be affected by the new domain extensions.
Domain portfolio managers who survived the onslaught of launches from the 2012 round already know about the challenges presented by this environment. Brands need to decide quickly, and often, whether the latest domain launch merits a defensive registration. Domain blocking products, such as GlobalBlock, can relieve some of the burden, but not all of it.
This is the framework we will use to analyze the sample of publicly announced applications. It is a speculative exercise, but by considering the circumstances of the applications and the history of the applicants, we will attempt to predict which domain names will be important for a defensive portfolio and to what extent brands will be able to rely on blocking products.
Which domain launches should be on my radar?
The 2012 round produced some domain name extensions that seem poised to stand the test of time. .APP, .CLUB, .SHOP and .XYZ, for instance, were applied for under different circumstances, but all reached a place of stability and relevance. Looking back with the benefit of hindsight, we can identify some factors that positioned these and other TLDs for sustained success:
Desirable strings with many applicants: .APP, with 13 applicants, and .SHOP, with nine, are examples. The number of applications is a fair proxy for the desirability of the domain extension, which in turn can be an indicator of future success.
A focused operator: In contrast to Google, Donuts and other companies that applied for many TLDs, the successful applicants for .CLUB and .XYZ were companies that applied for one and three domain extensions respectively. Both applicants were domain industry veterans who championed their domains in the right circles. This type of dedication and support can also be an indicator of future success.
Among the publicly announced 2026 applications, 11 proposed extensions have attracted four or more applicants: .AGI, .BIT, .FAB, .GATE, .HUB, .MOON, .SUPER, .TAG, .VIBE, .ZEN and .ZZZ. This gives us a sample of “extensions to watch”, as multiple companies agree that these are attractive strings with the potential to fare well in the market.
As for the “focused operator” criterion, we would single out .CREW, .FACTORY and an as-yet-undisclosed extension sought by Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com. At this point, it appears that each of these will be the applicant’s sole application. Furthermore, each applicant is a longstanding figure in the domain industry. Considered together, these factors suggest a level of dedication to a single TLD that stands out among the publicly announced applications.
If my brand subscribes to GlobalBlock, will we be sufficiently covered?
Managers of corporate domain name portfolios will primarily register domains under these new extensions for defensive purposes: in other words, to prevent others from registering them. With so many extensions potentially launching within a relatively short period, it will be difficult to keep track of every launch and register defensive domains in a timely manner, not to mention the expense of doing so.
Domain blocking products offer a solution to this challenge. They prevent a brand name from being registered under many different domain extensions at a price lower than the cost of registering each domain individually. Among these blocking services, GlobalBlock has distinguished itself through the breadth of its coverage.
As discussed in a previous IP Twins article examining the expansion of GlobalBlock, not all brands consider that its coverage justifies its price. We can safely say that some of the 1,600 new domain extensions will eventually be included in GlobalBlock. But how many?
To begin addressing that question, we examined applicants that already operate domain extensions and checked whether one of their existing TLDs is covered by GlobalBlock. The result was not especially favourable to GlobalBlock:
| Applicant | No. of applications | Existing TLD | Covered by GlobalBlock? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aruba SpA | 39 | .cloud | No |
| Internet.Best | 1 | .best | No |
| Link Freedom Group | 316 | .link | No |
| Radix | 46 | .online | No |
| ShortDot | 40 | .icu | No |
It is still early, and GlobalBlock continues to add new domain extensions on a regular basis. Nevertheless, this is a significant data point suggesting that blocking services will not remove the need to participate actively in TLD launches.
Conclusion
This is a very early look at the new domain extensions that will pass through the application process in the coming years. However, the experience gained from the 2012 round is valuable when trying to anticipate what the future may hold.
Individual registration decisions are still years away, but portfolio managers would be well advised to start considering their strategy for a time when multiple domain extensions may launch each month. At a minimum, each brand will need to decide how aggressively it intends to register domain names under new extensions and, in that context, whether GlobalBlock makes financial sense.
Whether or not you are an IP Twins client, we would be happy to discuss your brand portfolio and provide feedback on a sensible strategy for handling the launch of new domain name extensions. Over the coming years, we will also continue to identify and highlight the key launches that merit additional attention.