ICANN has officially announced that the next round of applications for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) will open in April 2026. This marks the long-awaited return of the gTLD application process, last held in 2012, offering businesses and organizations a unique opportunity to operate their own branded or custom domain extensions.
The announcement was made through ICANN’s May 20, 2025 report titled “Understanding the gTLD Opportunity for Brands.” The report highlights a significant gap in awareness and understanding among brand owners, many of whom have not yet capitalized on the benefits of owning a .brand domain due to perceived costs, complexity, and lack of information. ICANN aims to bridge this gap with targeted educational and support efforts.
A global survey commissioned by ICANN found that 54% of marketing leaders prioritize brand visibility and awareness, followed by customer retention (45%) and market expansion (40%). Branded TLDs can support all these objectives, offering greater control, security, and trust. With AI and data privacy projected to dominate the next five years, ICANN suggests that owning a secure, trusted domain extension can also strengthen brand legitimacy in the digital age.
To support applicants ahead of the 2026 round, ICANN will host a critical webinar on June 3, 2025, titled “High-level Guide to the Draft Applicant Guidebook.” This session will introduce the full draft of the Applicant Guidebook (AGB) — the core document outlining the application process, evaluation criteria, fees, and dispute mechanisms.
The interactive webinar will be offered twice to accommodate different time zones:
- 06:00–07:30 CEST
- 18:30–20:00 CEST
Key topics will include:
- Overview of the gTLD application journey
- Community Priority Evaluation
- Contention set resolution and objection mechanisms
- Application fees and structure
- How to engage in the public comment process
This webinar serves as a preparation for the final public comment period, which runs from May 30 to July 23, 2025. While ICANN has already held four rounds of feedback on specific AGB sections, this marks the first opportunity to review and comment on the complete draft.
ICANN strongly encourages brand owners to start planning now. As the report states:
“Our message to brands who want to take the next step is twofold – this is the time to start planning for next year, and we are here to help.”
To inspire potential applicants, ICANN has also launched the New gTLD Use Cases website, featuring successful examples like .berlin, .amsterdam, .edeka, and .microsoft.
EDEKA shared: “We started with .edeka domains for some of our IT projects. Nowadays, we use them for new digital initiatives and across all communication channels.”
Microsoft added: “Moving workloads to our dotBrand TLD enables us to improve user trust and confidence, simplify our naming strategy, and strengthen our brand.”
With the April 2026 application window on the horizon, now is the critical time for brands to evaluate their domain strategies, align internal stakeholders, and engage with ICANN’s ongoing policy processes. The June 3 AGB webinar is the ideal starting point for any organization aiming to secure its place in the next era of internet identity.
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