DotBrands:
Secure your own digital space with a new gTLD
ICANN’s new gTLD registration round opened on May 30th 2026, and it closes on August 12th.
Don’t miss out! Start planning now to secure your unique digital identity.
DotBrands: A new dimension for your digital footprint
DotBrand domains welcome visitors, revenue, and creative customer experiences. However, while each extension presents exciting new opportunities, brands and organizations must build the right multi-stakeholder strategy to make the most of them. Ultimately, tailored consultancy and hard-earned expertise turn your DotBrand into a digital success.
New gTLDs are one of the fastest growing types of branded online presence…
Will you explore your next opportunity?
Organizations already registered millions of domain addresses in DotBrands or gTLDs like .app or .shop.
It’s not just brands involved! ICANN added over 50 regional gTLDs, like .NYC, .Tokyo, .Paris, and more.
Hundreds of leading firms created new DotBrands gTLDs in the last round – will you be next?
Boosting your digital brand
Beyond just a shiny digital asset, a domain extension named after your brand or organization unlocks plenty of room for creativity and new use cases.
Successful businesses engage their audience with a memorable USP. What’s more unique that carving out your own corner of the internet with a DotBrand domain? Especially, leading technology enterprises like Crypto and NFT providers need to demonstrate technological innovation.
A DotBrand gives your marketing team short, memorable web addresses that put your brand name front and centre. Instead of long URLs with tracking parameters, campaigns can run on addresses like summer.yourbrand or launch.yourbrand, which are easy to remember and share on posters, TV spots and social media. Every address on your extension also confirms that the campaign really comes from you, so customers can spot fake promotions more easily.
The new gTLD market presents an untapped ocean of possibilities, and to an extent, the only limit is your imagination and creativity. Businesses used the last set of gTLD registrations for all kinds of applications, from automotive companies mapping car service histories against custom domains, to customer service, product demos, online stores, and more. Or are you planning to offer reseller domains on your DotBrand?
With your own extension, you decide how customers find help, products and services online. Clear addresses such as support.yourbrand or service.yourbrand take visitors straight to the right place, without searching through menus. Some car manufacturers already link QR codes to vehicle service histories on their DotBrand, so customers get the information they need in a single scan. Consistent addresses also build trust, because customers learn which links really belong to you.
As an innovative and forward-thinking digital solution, gTLD provides integration capabilities with cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and other next-generation tech.
gTLDs and .brand domains also allow sales and marketing teams in the mysterious art of SEO. Including generic keywords and industry terms not available in legacy TLDs anymore, can open future potentials for your business to climb to the top of search results.
Explore crypto TLDs
Is your brand ready for the blockchain? Stake your claim to Web3 with a crypto TLD.
How the last round worked
In January 2012, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) launched its first round of new generic top-level domain (gTLD) registrations. Learning from the last round informs our strategies going forward.
Many leading brands, cities and regions applied for new gTLDs in 2012, with a total of 1,930 applications.
Today, users can surf on DotBrands like .google, .apple, or.nike, geographical gTLDs like.berlin, .tokyo, .nyc, and .london. or gTLDs such as .online, .bank or .site. The application process involved registrar meetings and a formal application to ICANN, before the new gTLDs went live.
Success rates for new gTLDs applications varied, as some organizations dropped out after underestimating the process’s complexity.
Even when companies succeeded, many faced internal challenges. Marketing and legal teams often failed to effectively utilize the new domains, and interdepartmental silos wasted the platform's potential. This led to missed opportunities and underutilized gTLDs, highlighting the need for better planning and coordination.
Brands and regional organizations must consider the pros and cons before applying for a new gTLD.
They must also create a plan for their new gTLD involving marketing, integration with digital assets, and ongoing management. Success requires a tight focus on the right use cases, including brand identity, local engagement, and online security. When brands maintain specific goals, like securing a unique and memorable domain, fostering loyalty, and driving traffic to their sites, they embrace their new domain’s full potential.
EBRAND solutions
At EBRAND, we're excited to launch our new gTLD service for the next round of registrations. We've learned valuable lessons from the last round, gaining insights from partnerships with brands and organizations. Get in contact now to benefit from our expertise and strategic approach.
At EBRAND, our managed service breaks down silos and promotes cross-departmental collaboration to craft a productive and future-proof strategy for your DotBrand. We offer consultancy from pre-registration through post-launch, ensuring seamless integration with your digital infrastructure and marketing efforts.
Working with a dedicated expert helps you make the most of your new gTLD strategy. At EBRAND, our project experts supported dozens of clients through the process for over ten years, delivering best practice insights you need to succeed. Also, we stay close to new program developments as an active part of the ICANN community. Our experts provide tailored advice and strategic guidance, ensuring you unlock the full potential of your DotBrand and achieve your business goals with confidence.
New gTLDs aren't a one-size-fits-all solution, and your organization's brand strategy, market approach, financial goals, and geography demand unique support. With over 200 local experts and over a dozen language proficiencies, EBRAND delivers the comprehensive solutions you need to succeed.
Unlock your new gTLD options now
Want to find out more about the new gTLD process, and the opportunities you’ll enjoy with your next slice of digital real estate?
New gTLD and DotBrand FAQs
What are new gTLDs?
New gTLDs are domain extensions that ICANN added beyond the original set, such as .com, .org, and .net. Examples include .tech, .shop, .blog, .nyc, and .guru. They give businesses more specific, memorable domain options at a time when good names in the traditional extensions run scarce.
What is a DotBrand domain?
A DotBrand is a top-level domain reserved for a single brand or company, so you can use addresses like product.brandname instead of brandname.com. You control the extension and set its rules, which strengthens visibility, trust, and security, because customers know exactly which domains to rely on.
What is ICANN's role in new gTLDs?
ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, oversees domain names and extensions, including new gTLDs. It runs the new gTLD program, coordinates the domain name system, and regulates accredited registrars such as EBRAND. ICANN operates as a US-based non-profit, and its rules keep the internet stable and secure.
When is the 2026 new gTLD round?
ICANN’s 2026 new gTLD application window opened on April 30, 2026 and closed on August 12, 2026. The previous round ran in 2012, so rounds come rarely. Our ICANN85 briefing explains the timeline and what comes next for applicants.
How does ICANN's new gTLD program work?
ICANN’s new gTLD program works in stages. Organizations apply for a new gTLD, and ICANN evaluates each application against technical and financial requirements. Approved extensions go through a sunrise period before they launch, and trademark holders can secure their domains first. After launch, the gTLD owner manages the extension.
How do you register for a new gTLD?
To register for a new gTLD, you submit an application to ICANN, meet its technical and financial requirements, and pass several evaluation phases. ICANN accepts applications only during set windows, and the 2026 window closed on August 12. EBRAND guides organizations through the whole process, from pre-registration to post-launch, including integration of the new extension with your existing digital infrastructure and marketing.
How can I use a DotBrand for marketing?
A DotBrand strengthens your brand presence, increases your visibility online, and builds customer trust, since every address on the extension clearly belongs to you. Some uses get creative: cities promote tourism with .nyc and .london, non-profits such as .hiv raise awareness, and car makers link QR codes to service history pages.
