ICANN published the official 2026 Round Applicant Guidebook

It took the ICANN more than a decade and, here we are, the new 2026 version of the new gTLD Applicant Guidebook was just published.

Expect more changes but this "Bible" is basically what all new gTLD service providers have been following the development of for the past few years.

For newcomers to the program willing to create their own domain name extension, I suggest to start page 21 with the "Module 1 The Applicant Journey".

Existing scammers digging for information and requesting details - and I am sorry to underline that they are present right now (Consultants: be careful and come share your experience with me as I have identified a major one) - I suggest the reading of "1.1.5 Good Faith Intent" (page 22). 

Download the latest version of the "AGB" here.

New gTLD Innovation in 2026, a €4M annual income in 5 years

Project "John Wolley"

The Universal Directory

Project John Wolley is a concept of universal yellow pages based on the use of a single .BRAND domain name extension where each domain name is a city or a village's name.

White and Yellow Pages exist in most countries but no directory exists

for the entire world. Project “John Wolley” offers to use one single

domain name extension to operate one global directory. Each city

name becomes a domain name and each domain name is one

local directory.

Download the pitch

The AI answered these "new gTLD" questions

We recently asked an Artificial Intelligence a few questions about the next round of new gTLDs:
Can I sell domain names ending in my ".brand" through the network of ICANN accredited Registrars?

• Why should investment funds invest in new gTLDs in 2026?
• Are new gTLDs monopolies?
• What is ICANN 84?
• Why are community and geographic new gTLD applications more expensive?
• I want to fund a new generic Top-Level Domain at the ICANN but which one?
• How many people are needed to run an ICANN new gTLD Registry?
• Where are listed all upcoming new gTLD projects?
• What does the latest ICANN 84 GAC communiqué says about the next new gTLD round2 in 2026?
• Are 4 months enough to decide to submit a new gTLD application in the next ICANN new gTLD round?
• Can you apply for an ICANN new gTLD with a budget of 800,000€?
• ICANN Round 2 of new gTLDs: is it mandatory to deposit data of a Registry with an escrow agent
• As a generic new gTLD Registry, how much should I sell my domain names to the network of accredited Registrars?

We asked the AI a lot more questions!

Data Escrow for your new gTLD?

As a key component of the global domain ecosystem, DENIC Services ensures the secure registration and operation of generic (gTLD) and country-code (ccTLD) top-level domains. DENIC Services provides essential Data Escrow services, relied upon by more than 2,800 domain registries and registrars internationally.

Its robust and highly secure IT infrastructure stores the data for over 180 million domains, representing more than 50% of all domains globally. Operating a gTLD necessitates the deposit of registry data with an accredited escrow agent. DENIC Services meets this requirement as the only designated escrow service in the ICANN RDE programme, and is fully approved under the ICANN Registry Data Escrow programme.

Become part of the DENIC network now.

Latest news: the new gTLD Guidebook was adopted

Just in case you missed:

1. The ICANN84 Governmental Advisory Committee Communiqué Now Available. 12 very exciting pages to read and even more exciting starting page 6 of the PDF (the rest is a transcript):
1. Applicant Support Program Implementation and New gTLD Next Round Outreach.
2. Additional Fee for Evaluation of Geographic Names During the Next Round of New gTLDs.
3. Latin Script Diacritics.
4. IGO Protections.
2. The ICANN Board just "adopted" the next round Applicant Guidebook (also called the "AGB"),
3. ICANN Request for Proposal: New gTLD Program: 2026 Round Background Screening Services,
4. ICANN Request for Proposal: Evaluator Panels for String Similarity and Variant Strings for the new gTLD Program: 2026 Round,
5. Collaboration Key to Delivering ICANN’s New gTLD Applicant Guidebook.

There is a new "Quick links" pages on the ICANN website here.

New gTLD auctions: "Reminder"

This is what applicants paid in the first Round of new gTLDs to fight for their string in ICANN auctions:

1. .WEBS : $1
2. .WEB : $135,000,000
3. .SHOP : $41,501,000
4. .HOTELS : $2,200,000
5. .SRL : $400,000
6. .PING : $1,501,000
7. .APP : $25,001,000
8. .MLS : $3,359,000
9. .BABY : $3,088,888
10. .DOT : $700,000
11. .SALON : $5,100,575
12. .REALTY : $5,588,888
13. .SPOT : $2,200,000
14. .BUY : $4,588,888
15. .VIP : $3,000,888
16. .TECH : $6,760,000
17. .信息 : $600,000

To learn more about how TLDs are going to be auctioned in the next round, see "4.6 ICANN New gTLD Auction" from the existing draft of the next new gTLD applicant guidebook (page 153).

Latest Sunrise Information (at Google)

Trademark Claims Period have started on 01 October 2025 for:

1. The .GMAIL new gTLD,
2. The .ANDROID new gTLD,
3. The .YOUTUBE new gTLD.

Something coming at Google?

Learn more.

The new gTLD Directory "has" launched

A Directory for Applicants and Providers

The Directory is a free tool for applicants in the 2026 ICANN new gTLD Program, looking for a service provider with the capacity and experience to guide them through the process of submitting their application to the ICANN in 2026...and after.

Registration is free, please join: www.gtld.directory