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ICANN reveals 1,615 new top-level domain applications, only 218 from Asia-Pacific

Domain· 3 min read
Illustration of a globe showing 1,615 surrounded by new domain extensions such as .brand, .shop, and .bank
Illustration: Resmi.ID

The first new gTLD round since 2012 drew 1,615 applications, including 333 brand extensions. Brand owners should watch the list from 17 November.

For the first time since 2012, ICANN — the body that coordinates the world's domain name system — has let organisations apply for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs). On *Reveal Day*, 7 October 2026, ICANN announced 1,615 applications. The 2012 round is where now-familiar extensions such as .online, .store, and .app came from.

What a gTLD is and why it matters

The top-level domain is the rightmost part of a web address: .com, .org, .id. Generic extensions (gTLDs) differ from country-code extensions (ccTLDs) such as .id, which PANDI manages. Applicants can be companies wanting their own brand extension (e.g. .brandname), registry operators wanting to sell a new extension to the public, or particular communities.

Reveal Day figures

CategoryCount
Total applications1,615
Brand extensions (.brand)333
Non-Latin scripts (IDN)21
Applicant Support Program51

The application window opened on 30 April 2026 and closed on 12 August 2026, with 27 scripts supported for non-Latin domains. By region, North America leads with 864 applications and Europe follows with 506. Asia, Australia, and the Pacific account for only 218, Africa 16, and Latin America and the Caribbean 11. ICANN calls these numbers an initial snapshot that may still change.

The low figure from Asia-Pacific — the region with the largest internet population — shows that brand extensions are still dominated by American and European companies.

What comes next

DateStage
8–21 Oct 2026String replacement period (already over).
17 Nov 2026String Confirmation Day: the list of applied-for extensions is confirmed.
27 Nov 2026Deadline to withdraw with a 65% refund of the evaluation fee.
17 Nov 2026 – 16 Mar 2027Community input and objection period.
First half of 2027Prioritization Draw to set the evaluation order.

After evaluation, contracting, and technical testing, new extensions are not expected to open for public registration before late 2027 or 2028.

What it means for your business

  1. Watch the extension list after 17 November 2026 — especially anything resembling your brand or industry.
  2. If an extension infringes your registered trademark, objections can be filed until 16 March 2027.
  3. When new extensions launch there is usually a *sunrise* period reserved for registered trademark owners. Have your trademark documents ready.
  4. For now, securing your business name in .id, .co.id, and .com remains the priority.

FAQ

Can I still apply for my own extension? Not in this round; the window closed on 12 August 2026.

Are the domains I already own affected? No. Existing domains keep working as usual. Check your name across extensions on the domain search page.

Sources

  1. ICANN Reveals 2026 Round Applications for New Generic Top-Level Domains — ICANN — icann.org
  2. ICANN Opens Application Window for New Generic Top-Level Domains — ICANN — icann.org
  3. New gTLD Program: Next Round — ICANN — newgtldprogram.icann.org

Written from the sources above as of 31 October 2026. Third-party policies and figures can change — check the original sources for the latest.

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