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.

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!

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).

Why a .META new gTLD makes sense

We asked Gemini (an AI) the question, and as expected, it lacks ideas and imagination.

The META new gTLD could be a .BRAND or a .COMMUNITY application but we, at Jovenet Consulting, think there is a strategic move to make for Mark Zuckerberg in 2026.

Strategy and numbers

Many .BRAND applicants want their domain name extension to protect their assets and sometimes do nothing with it, or create a few personalized domain names to introduce themselves a better way.

With more than 3 billion users*, Facebook Meta has an opportunity to create something that is terribly missing on Internet: domain names without spam (phishing, etc...). Many existing operators have been trying to secure domains and emails for decades with fantastic technical tools such as SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI...but let's be honest : things are doing better but we still receive spam and all sort of phishing emails of all kind. I personally find homographic attacks interesting ones.

Certified Email

If "meta" is a sign short enough to be acceptable at the end of an email, it is the Facebook platform that could become the next gMail with a new way to guarantee that all incoming emails are spam free.

If existing methods to block spam do not work entirely, operating the largest social media platform is an opportunity to start from scratch and do three things:

1. Create a new email tool that blocks spam: the blockchain allows that. A new way to block spam is not only technical, it is about policy, technic and "rules to respect or you are kicked out". I personally don't need to send more than 5 emails per day.
2. Keep users in your platform.
3. Increase brand awareness: all emails end in ".meta".

If the platform guarantees it blocks spams for Facebook users (and for free), then companies pay for extra services. I receive so much spam from Indian design companies offering me seo services and webdesign that I would probably use a new personal email ending in ".meta".

* https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/

The gTLD Directory

A Directory for Applicants and Service Providers

With the next Round of the ICANN new gTLD program to launch in 2026, new gTLD applicants search for new gTLD Providers and Providers search for clients : one wants to discover that there is more than his Registrar to ask questions to and the other wants to acquire more visibility.

The gTLD Directory is Free

The Directory is free to register to and there is no need to be friend of a friend to be listed. I list all new gTLD providers wanting to register. I yet have not found a way to acquire even more visibility for subscribers but I will offer a way to advertise when I return in September. It is quite possible that I offer the first three positions on top of the list or...banners.

How it works

1. Go to https://www.gtld.directory/
2. Scroll down to "Submit Your Information:"
3. Fill-in the four empty fields and tick the services your offer
4. Click on "Submit"

Once this is done, I will receive your details, I will check and add you to the listing.

How old should your Trademark be for Round2 ?

It is a question we've asked the AI :

How old must a Trademark be to be submitted as a dotBrand type of application in the 2026 round of the ICANN new gTLD program?

Read its answer.

Joke of the day

This is what is being sold on Sedo at the moment 😂

New gTLDs and naive thinking

It is naive thinking that one will create millions of new domain names with another new generic Top-Level Domain in 2026 : I don't believe in this since numbers prove the opposite (see https://www.gtld.report).

What I think about the next Round of the ICANN new gTLD program is that to earn money in 2026, the direction to take is to fully control a niche market using a dotBrand, not a generic, a geographic or a community TLD.

The network of accredited Registrar "does not sell", Registrars are a vitrine in which all new applicants think they will show up. Thinking Registrars will do the job of "selling" is naive : numbers don't lie.

The one to develop his business on his dotBrand (.brand), create domains added to a service, and control which domains to allow comes with something new...that sells.

Ask Jovenet Consulting for more.

New gTLDs : LOCAL = city names

I am probably sure that many noticed...that the first new gTLD applicant guidebook (and probably the upcoming one for the 2026 ICANN new gTLD Round) blocked interested applicants for submitting an application for the .LOCAL new generic Top-Level Domain.

It is the chosen one for innovative project "John Wolley" which focuses on city names but we have to take a different approach since this TLD is blocked.

Generic Names

We all know that one advantage to create a new domain name extension, a generic one, a dotBrand (or any other), is to benefit from the availability of "to be created" generic second level domains : domain names such as shoes.tld (".tld" is an example here), product.tld , mobile.tld or paris.tld

A real benefit

If the real SEO (Search Engine Optimization) benefit of using a generic name relies on what Google says, one think remains certain : the benefit of using a generic name is clear on a leaflet, a visit card, in the paper or online press. Reading a generic domain name is nicer and easier to comprehend than reading a descriptive domain name, and by the way : the shorter, the better.

City names and local visibility

Can generic city names such as "boston.tld" benefit for local content in search engine optimization? if - again - "Google decides", the benefit remains in the title : a word is a word and "boston" alone as the second level domain name says it all : a website with this generic domain name is probably going to be about the city of Boston. I asked that exact same question to an AI and this is the answer received :

"...notably Google, explicitly state that geoTLDs are treated like other generic TLDs (.com, .org) and do not provide any direct algorithmic ranking advantage for local searches based on the TLD itself. Keywords within the TLD also offer no direct SEO benefit. In contrast, country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) like .uk or .ca do serve as strong geographic signals for country-level targeting."

Scary, isn't?

Now, it also says this:

"Potential benefits of city TLDs like .boston are primarily indirect, stemming from branding and user perception. They can strongly signal local relevance, potentially enhancing user trust, reinforcing community connection, and possibly improving click-through rates (CTR) from local searchers who recognize the geographic identifier."

Much nicer.

Conclusion

Using city names as second level domains for local content makes sense in the next round of the ICANN new gTLD program. Industrializing such domain name creations using a .BRAND Top-Level Domain makes the project a cash machine if the minimum annual income per domain is $40. To learn more about this project : talk to us.

The CTO shares it factsheet about next round of new gTLDs

The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is the oldest and largest Commonwealth intergovernmental organisation in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Its focus is on transforming the future with ICT, one nation at a time.

The CTO shared a factsheet on the Latest news from the ICANN82 conference held in Seattle - April 2025. Factsheet written by Peter Mujtaba – Technology Consultant.

Learn more.

The Applicant Support Program application submission period...has begun !

Below is an interesting read for entities interested in submitting an application through the ICANN Applicant Support Program - "and pay less". The 19 pages "ASP Applicant Checklist" clearly informs about what the administrative work consists in : good luck to all applicants. The application submission period is expected to close 19 November 2025.

This is Table of Contents Organization Information of the ASP Applicant Checklist :

• Organization information :
• SECTION 1: APPLICANT ENTITY INFORMATION
• SECTION 2: APPLICANT ENTITY USERS
• SECTION 3: PAYMENTS
• SECTION 4: ULTIMATE CONTROL
• Public Responsibility Due Diligence
• SECTION 5: ACTIVITIES & AFFILIATIONS
• Financial Need
• SECTION 6: NARRATIVE STATEMENT
• SECTION 7: FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS
• Financial Viability
• SECTION 8: NARRATIVE STATEMENT
• SECTION 9: DEPOSIT
• Eligible Entities
• SECTION 10: NONPROFITS, CHARITIES, OR EQUIVALENT
• SECTION 11: INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (IGOS)
• SECTION 12: INDIGENOUS/TRIBAL PEOPLES’ ORGANIZATIONS
• SECTION 13: SOCIAL IMPACT OR PUBLIC BENEFIT MICRO- OR SMALL-SIZED BUSINESS
• SECTION 14: MICRO- OR SMALL-SIZED BUSINESS FROM A LESS-DEVELOPED ECONOMY

A .SEO new gTLD coming in 2026 ?

The first Round of the ICANN new gTLD program in 2012 brought many interesting surprises with new domain names dedicated to very specific professions, many of these are, or are not, related to the Internet. Ten years later, while potential applicants are wondering how to submit their new gTLD application and how to profit from it, this question turns out to be a very important one : how deep is a potential string connected to the use of the Internet and why should an applicant wonder about this? Let’s focus on the .SEO Top-Level Domain.

Read my full article here.

New gTLDs : James is doing good...but not only

I like to refer in terms of volumes and recently noticed that the .BOND new gTLD has 544,071 domain names created in its root. Yes : more than 500,000 domain names ending in ".bond" instead of ".com" or any other extension. On the list of all new gTLDs from Round one of the ICANN new gTLD program, it stands in place 15 : not bad.

If I wonder who uses these domain names and what for, I also noticed that most other TLDs from this multiple registry seem to follow the same strategy : "volumes".

The interesting thing I see here is that Shortdot SA, which owns other Top-Level Domains (.CFD, .SBS, .ICU and .CYOU has all ot its TLDs listed in the TOP 30 of new gTLDs in volumes. At the moment I am reading the numbers, here is what I read :

1. .CFD : 1,020,525 domain names.
2. .SBS : 803,335
3. .BOND : 554,071
4. .ICU : 509,016
5. .CYOU : 261,228

ShortDot SA has a total of 3,148,175 domain names created.

Real Estate and .BRAND new gTLDs: numbers updated

These are the latest domain name registration numbers extracted from categories of Top-Level domains :

1. Real Estate,
2. "dotBrands"
3. ...and 20 more categories.

All reports are dated May the 30, 2024.

March 2024 new gTLD Reports are online

New gTLD reports are monthly domain name registration volumes' captures according to specific groups, businesses or industries.

On the last day of each month, we take a snapshot of these numbers so one can see if they increase or decrease for a month to the other.

This method is a good way to see if these domain names meet with adoption...or not.

22 new gTLD reports were just updated.

Should the ICANN translate the next new gTLD applicant guidebook to Russian?

Ukraine was invaded by Russia and many were are killed, raped and much more. Should the ICANN keep supporting Russia during this invasion by translating the next new gTLD applicant guidebook to the Russian language?

Cast your vote on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7168893363071496194?

ICANN new gTLDs: a website full of errors

There are things I check once and a while and this page is one of them at the ICANN website: the "TLD STARTUP INFORMATION" page...

I noticed something new today about the .FOOD Registry which was last updated on November the 23rd (today). By the way, .FOOD appears as a .BRAND Top-Level Domain (...). What I misunderstand here is what the update is about? There is nothing more but this date and a link which points to nothing more. Some fields are not even filled in: "Trademark Claims Period: 13 Dec 2017 to..."

The "Detailed information for food" (the orange button to click onto) points to another page where no more information is found but a broken link to a "URL of Registrars" that seems to be down.

Very good too, the Name from Registry information is different from the one advertised on the link the Registry URL points to.

From what I have learnt, it is precisely the same kind of methods spammers and scammers use to hide and I wish the ICANN checked the information before publishing. I trust the ICANN but their website is turning to some kind of giant database where not much is double checked before publication...for new gTLDs at least.

Come on ICANN, you can do better than this.

New gTLDS from Microsoft and Amazon

The ICANN TLD Startup information page was just updated with information from Microsoft and Amazon. Unfortunately, the teal in charge of setting up this page does not mention what the updates are until one is able to dig on the ICANN website to find the information. Apparently, not much is going on for the .BRAND Top-Level Domains listed from Microsoft but two TLDs from Amazon updated their Trademark claims periods.

Microsoft new gTLD updates:

1. .AZURE
2. .BING
3. .HOTMAIL
4. .MICROSOFT
5. .WINDOWS
6. .XBOX

Amazon new gTLD updates:

1. “.書籍” is a TLD in Japanese language characters that mean “book” in English (surprisingly, it is a Chinese language character too).
2. “.ファッション” is a TLD in Japanese language characters that mean “fashion” in English.

The two Trademark claims periods end on 04 February 2025. The strange thing about these two is that they are not even listed on the official Amazon Registry website.

Registries: where is the Holy Grail?

There are multiple registries I follow on LinkedIn and there is an hitoric one, Identity Digital (ex "Donuts"), I particularly like to check publications since their number one objective is to find ways to install their domain names and have clients to renew them. This is to me the Holy Grail every Registry is looking for and the job of Rachel Sterling, latest CMO at Identity Digital.

I read a lot of publications from Registrars, Registries and Backend Registries but as a Marketing guy, I also have my opinion on where this Holy Grail could be. I listed below standard and innovative methods to develop a Top-Level Domain focusing on meeting with adoption.

Traditional methods:

Registries, when they can afford it, essentially use the same methods:

• The network of accredited Registrars (when Registrars want them as a TLD to sell),
• Premium domain names
• Press Release
• Auto promotion in the online press
• Give away for one year
• Promotion at Registrars
• There are probably other ways but I try to be fast in my publications.

New and innovative methods:

1. I believe Registries can sell more and meet with adoption when they already have a network willing to buy "now" (and this information should be validated prior to creating the new gTLD application). It is precicsly what community TLDs try to achieve but numbers don't lie and - with experience - I believe this method would be much more efficient if community applications were just generic applications.
2. Poiting the Registry DNS to a CMS (Content Management System).
1. It is what the .TEL Registry attempted to do prior to the first Round of the ICANN new gTLD program in 2007. They succeeded and then failed. They were settlers but I was a serious fan of .TEL and kept using and renewing mine until Round 1 of new gTLDs in 2010. The .TEL was a directory solution which required to buy a domain name, use a second login and password to access its CMS, which then required to set up the directory: quite complex at the time but very innovative and exciting for the owner.
2. It is what the .BEST Registry (participant in Round of new gTLDs) is achieving right now after acquiring the TLD from its initial owner. The domain name is then automatically set-up when downloading the APP onto your mobile: https://app.best/. By the way, registrations are increasing in 2023.
3. Using a .BRAND to offer a service using a CMS: the method here is quite simple, it requires to sell a service, not a domain name. If this method does not benefit from the network of accredited Registrars, it kills all other problems met by the .TEL Registry in 2007: one login and one password "only" and operating costs reduced. Want to check for an example?

Round 2 of new gTLDs could be announced as early as 2026. Thinking that submitting another application in the huge list of already existing TLDs will be a success - without a studied project - is naive. Jovenet Consulting will help you prepare your project.

Creating a new gTLD? Why choosing a Retail Registrar as your provider makes sense!

This is the English summary of a French article I recently wrote on the reasons why it is important to select a new gTLD service provider who also owns one or more retail Registrars before creating a Registry dedicated to selling domain names through the network of accredited Registrars. If submitting the application to ICANN was the difficulty in the first round of new gTLDs, sales figures have clearly demonstrated - 10 years after the first round of new gTLDs -  that the main difficulty in the next round will be “to sell”.

To avoid being listed next to the 760 existing extensions at most Registrars, here are a few tips I would do when choosing my service provider prior to launching a new Registry in the next round of the ICANN new gTLD program:

• Some providers offer the full range of services: writing of the application (knowledge with legal and financial aspect of the procedure), mandatory back end registry provider (including other services such as Escrow solution...) and existing retail registrar(s). Why then choose different providers if one can make it all? They are not many on the internatinal market but they exist and are probably the ones with the best knowledge and offer.
• Some retail Registrars now own their own back end registry solution provider (this did not exist in the first round of the ICANN new gTLD program): since retail registrars have no obligation to promote a TLD instead of another, negotiating your new gTLD’s presence at your retail Registrar’s provider makes sense instead of choosing a provider who cannot offer such a powerful tool. Remember two things:
• Your objective is to sell domain names.
• Your provider wants you as a client: your negotiation capacity is strong.
• Some retail Registrars sell lots of domain names worldwide and you want to be seen on their front page (and not listed on their list of hundreds of other suggested extensions). If your TLD is generic enough to interest them, negotiating visibility or marketing can make a strong difference in the success of your project.
• Your chosen provider does not necessarily have to be a back end Registry provider owning a Retail Registrar. If he is a retail Registrar with an offer and the price offered to create your TLD is interesting enough, he can be a partner of choice for the success of your project. What matters is his capacity to give visibility to your extension when it launches.
• Presence, promotion and visibility at the retail Registrar are important in the negotiation to become his client (or not) but direct and repeated promotion at his clients by email or through its newsletter can also be an advantage. Remember that combined marketing makes the both of you earn money. If your new gTLD provider doesn't care about your visibility as a partner, then...investigate the contract he wants you to sign: a partner who doesn't care about the success of yout project is not a good partner. A new gTLD must develop and you don't get into such an expensive project to find out that you have had less than 10.000 domains sold after 10 years of existence, or do you?
• Be careful with announcements to your partner’s clients: retail Registrars have the capacity to seriously promote your extension at their clients, and this repeatedly. Corporate registrars don’t do such promotions, they often just “announce”.
• Be careful with too much “blabla” when it comes to selecting a provider, the legal, technical and financial knowledge have now propagated enough and a provider must be able to answer all questions and the better when he has experience but what really matters is the project:
• Developing a Registry and selling domain names or,
• Using the full potential of a .BRAND extension (not dedicated to selling domain names).

There are not so many service providers to offer the full range of services to create a new generic Top-Level Domain dedicated to selling domain names (not "dotBrands"). The main services I'd definitely look for a project would be:

1. A capacity to fill in my application until validation at the ICANN, with the necessary knowledge would something unexpected happen (objection, auction...);
2. A backend registry solution provider;
3. A famous retail Registrar.

Interested in having Jovenet Consulting to take care of all this for you? Contact us.