The world of domains is about to enter an exciting new phase: Following the successful first round of applications in 2012 with over 1,200 new generic top-level domains, or gTLDs for short, the Internet registry ICANN is now heralding the next phase – the second major expansion round is expected to start in the second quarter of 2026. But what does this mean for you and your plans to apply for your own domain extension? Here you will get a comprehensive overview of the current status, the changes and how you can best prepare yourself.

A long road with a lot of preparation

The second round of applications for new gTLDs was originally planned for 2015/2016. However, the complexity of the process, various legal disputes (such as those surrounding .amazon or .web) and intensive political and technical discussions within the ICANN committees led to numerous delays. It was not until 2023 that a binding roadmap was defined, and the publication of the draft Applicant Guidebook at the end of May 2025 marks an important milestone – as the application from April 2026 will build on this.

ICANN has also significantly increased the budget for the project once again: an additional USD 25 million is to ensure that the infrastructure, IT systems, operational processes and applicant support are optimally prepared for the start of the new application phase. By March 2025, ICANN has already spent USD 37 million of the originally approved USD 45 million. The remainder will last until July 2025, and the additional funds will allow implementation to continue until April 2026.

What’s new – and what stays the same?

The long preparation period has brought one thing above all: more clarity and better conditions for all applicants for the new gTLDs. The rules have become more precise, but not more restrictive – which significantly increases your chances of success. You can look forward to the following benefits:

• Clear framework conditions: You know exactly which requirements your desired TLD must fulfill.
• Greater legal certainty: Risks of rejections or appeals have been minimized.
• Transparent process: A structured process ensures better planning.

Two programs stand out in particular because they facilitate access for all applicants and reduce the technical hurdles:

1. Applicant Support Program (ASP)
The ASP is primarily aimed at organizations with limited resources, especially from developing and emerging countries. Applicants who meet certain criteria can receive a significant reduction in the application fee. There is also mentor-based support, help with the application process and, if required, language mediation. Criteria for funding include financial need, the social relevance of the project and the potential positive impact on underserved groups or regions. The application phase for the ASP is already underway and ends on November 19, 2025 – i.e. in parallel with the preparation of the actual TLD application.

2. registry service provider pre-evaluation program
This technical pre-evaluation process evaluates registry service providers (RSPs) to determine whether they can operate a TLD in a technically secure and stable manner. Among other things, the DNS operation, security measures such as DNSSEC, WHOIS/RDAP services and interfaces to the ICANN infrastructure are checked. If you are working with an RSP that has already been evaluated, you no longer need to provide full technical evidence in the application – this significantly reduces the effort, complexity and risks. The deadline to apply for RSPs is May 20, 2025, and ICANN will publish a public list of approved providers before the start of the application process.

The most important requirements for your own gTLD

To ensure that your application has a chance of success, you should fulfill the following points:

• Legal entity: Only companies, foundations or public institutions may apply.
• Technical infrastructure: You either operate the registry system yourself or work together with a certified partner.
• Financial stability: You must prove that your project is viable in the long term – including reserves for emergencies.
• Legal legitimation: For trademark TLDs (.brand) you need the corresponding trademark rights, for geo TLDs the approval of the respective local authority.

The application process is divided into several steps: from strategy development, the examination of trademark protection and technical partners to the online application, the conclusion of the contract with ICANN and the final go-live of the domain extension.

What can your new TLD actually be?

ICANN has defined clear rules as to which domain extensions you may apply for:

• Characters: Classic ASCII characters (a-z, 0-9, -) remain standard, supplemented by Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) in non-Latin scripts such as Arabic, Cyrillic or Chinese.
• Length: Your TLD must be between 3 and 63 characters long.
• Prohibitions: Special characters such as emojis or spaces are not allowed, nor are two-character endings (these are reserved for countries), number combinations or problematic strings such as .bank or .health without a special check.
• Geographical TLDs: Only permitted with the official approval of the competent authorities.

ICANN has tightened the verification procedures for international trademarks to prevent misuse – so you can protect yourself and your trademark.

Internationalization and diversity in the focus of the new gTLDs

A particular focus of the new round is the promotion of linguistic diversity: applications in all writing systems are expressly welcome. TLDs such as .موقع (Arabic) or .みんな (Japanese) were already a great success in 2012 – the new round continues this trend.

Why should you act now?

Having your own top-level domain is more than just a technical project: it strengthens your brand, creates trust with customers and gives you full control over your online identity. Brands, regions and organizations in particular benefit enormously from this digital independence.

If you start early now, you can benefit from the improved application conditions and position yourself as a pioneer. The new applicant handbook will be presented in a webinar on June 3, 2025, followed by a public hearing until mid-July. This gives you the chance to actively shape the process of the new gTLDs.