ICANN has completed the intake of applications for new gTLDs: over 1,600 domains, including .slop and .itiswhatitis.
- ICANN closed the application process for new gTLDs on August 12
- More than 1600 applications were received, including .slop and .itiswhatitis
- The cost of one application is 227,000 USD, and it may increase
- Results will be announced in about two months
The non-profit organization ICANN, responsible for the global domain name system, completed the application process for the registration of new top-level domains (gTLD) on August 12. During the application period, more than 1600 applications were received, covering a wide range of topics from popular terms to words related to artificial intelligence.
Who submitted applications
Among the participants of the round, the company Link Freedom Group stands out, having submitted 316 applications, including such novelties as .slop, .token, .agentic, and .agi. Other applicants proposed more exotic options: .hype, .therapy, .tea, and .itiswhatitis. The complete list of approved domains has not yet been disclosed, and ICANN plans to announce the results no earlier than nine weeks after the application period closes, in order to complete the necessary administrative checks.
This event marks a significant shift compared to the early years of the internet, when classic .com, .org, and .net dominated the network. In 2012, a similar round was held: out of 1900 submitted applications, about 1200 were approved, including corporate .microsoft, geographic .africa, and industry-specific .bank. After that round, the application period was closed and reopened only this year, highlighting the rarity of such initiatives.
Cost and deadlines
Submitting an application is not cheap — the base fee is 227,000 USD for each domain, and in the case of increased risk or technical complexity, the amount may increase. The application submission period was set at 15 weeks, however, most applications were submitted in the last days of this period, indicating high competition and interest in new digital brands.
In addition to new gTLDs, ICANN announced plans to create a separate .internal zone at the beginning of 2024. This domain will be used within corporate networks and equipment, allowing conflicts with local addresses like 192.168.x.x, which are not visible on the public internet, to be avoided.
The official announcement of the list of approved domains is expected to occur about two months after the application period closes. After publication, new zones will become available for registration, opening up new opportunities for brands, communities, and technology projects.
Source: 3DNews
