ICANN opens new gTLD application window in 27 scripts

7 articles · Updated · TechRadar · May 9

It is the first such round in 14 years, with applications open until 12 August 2026 for businesses, communities, governments and other organisations.
Applicants must prove technical and financial capacity to run registries, and successful operators can control registrations under custom domains such as brand, city or industry strings.
The 2012 round created more than 1,200 gTLDs, and ICANN says broader script support could expand internet access and local digital ecosystems for non-Latin language users.

Will thousands of new web suffixes like .brand make the internet more creative or just more dangerous for everyone?

Is owning a custom web address worth the half-million-dollar price tag and the significant security risks that come with it?