The future of the popular .Io domain extension may be in question following a major geopolitical development: the UK has signed a treaty transferring sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, ending decades of British control over the territory officially known as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).
While the treaty focuses primarily on matters such as spectrum regulation and the UK-US military base stationed in the region, its implications for the .Io ccTLD — a favorite among tech startups and developers — could be significant.
Key Developments That Could Impact .Io:
- The treaty explicitly grants Mauritius control over commercial regulation, including electronic communications unrelated to military operations.
- BIOT is not mentioned once in the agreement, suggesting the name and identity of the territory may soon be phased out entirely.
- Mauritius will now represent Chagos at the United Nations and the International Telecommunications Union, giving it a seat at the table in domain policy discussions.
- The UN’s M49 standard and the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 list form the basis for ccTLD assignment by ICANN/IANA. If Chagos is delisted or renamed, it could trigger the retirement or replacement of .Io within 5 to 10 years.
What Could Happen to .Io?
- Chagos is delisted entirely — .Io would be removed from the DNS root.
- Chagos remains listed, but under a new name/code — .Io would be replaced by a new ccTLD.
- Chagos keeps the “IO” code under Mauritius — .Io could continue to operate, albeit under new political stewardship.
Currently, Identity Digital operates .Io through a UK-based shell company. However, the registry seems to be hedging its bets: it recently struck a deal to run the .Mu registry (Mauritius’ own ccTLD), potentially positioning itself for continuity if .Io is retired or restructured.
With over 1 million .Io domains registered, many by startups using the extension as a shorthand for “input/output,” the stakes are high. For now, registrants and investors will need to watch closely as international policy slowly shapes the future of this beloved tech-friendly TLD.
News Source:domainincite，This article does not represent our position.
