Although the application window for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) is not expected to open until the second quarter of 2026, the battle over individual extensions is already underway.
In the US District Court for the District of Delaware, Scott Florcsk, owner of Wallet Inc., and Web3 domain provider Unstoppable Domains Inc. are locked in a dispute over the .wallet extension. Florcsk, who markets .wallet domains, is receiving financial backing from Namecheap.
Following a series of legal battles, the remaining issue centered on Florcsk’s request for a declaratory judgment that selling .wallet domains does not infringe on Unstoppable Domains’ trademarks. Unstoppable Domains had already committed not to sue Florcsk for intellectual property violations concerning .wallet and agreed to extend this assurance to registries and registrars. From Unstoppable Domains’ perspective, this rendered the case moot.
Florcsk, however, sought broader protection to ensure Unstoppable Domains would not pursue claims over other domain extensions. On January 6, 2025, the court sided with Unstoppable Domains, ruling that Florcsk’s requested declaratory judgment applies exclusively to .wallet.
Given this decision, it is highly likely that multiple applications for .wallet will be submitted to ICANN next year.
Tags: US Court, .wallet, Unstoppable Domains, Trademark Dispute, Namecheap, ICANN, gTLDs, Web3 Domains, Domain Extensions
News Source:RA Florian Hitzelberger，This article does not represent our position.
