Get ready for .web, the domain extension that has been more than thirty years in the making

Launch of dot WEB

On July 22, the registry operator Verisign announced the delegation of .web. The news might almost have gone unnoticed during this sweltering summer, when the domain name industry was focused on the application window for the new ICANN round, which closed on August 12.

This delegation, which heralds the upcoming launch of .web, is a major event in the domain naming industry. Indeed, .web was seen very early on as having universal appeal and the potential to become a true alternative to .com.

Proposed even before ICANN was created, and later at the heart of the new gTLD program launched in 2012, this domain extension will finally hit the market in 2026, after more than ten years of proceedings and nearly thirty years of history.

A look back at an iconic case that profoundly influenced the rules of the latest round of new gTLDs.

A Top-Level Domain conceived even before ICANN

Few readers know that .web did not originate in 2012.

In fact, as early as 1996, the California-based company Image Online Design (IOD) proposed a .web domain on an alternative DNS system that was not integrated into the official DNS root. At that time, one of the Internet’s founding figures, Jon Postel, had already envisioned adding new extensions to the historic ones such as .com, .net, and .org. However, in 2000, when ICANN launched its first true selection process for new gTLDs, the .web extension supported by IOD was not selected bringing the project to an end.

2012: Seven applicants for a single Top-Level Domain

It wasn’t until 2012, when ICANN launched a series of new top-level domains with more open application rules, that proposals to create a .web top-level domain (TLD) resurfaced. While the .app TLD attracted a record 13 applications at the time, the .web TLD generated the most interest with seven applications, as most saw it as a potential alternative to .com.

The record-breaking auction that changed everything

In 2012, when multiple applicants competed for the same TLD, ICANN’s rules first called for a private resolution of the dispute. If no agreement could be reached, a last-resort auction would be held to decide between the applicants. For the .web extension, no agreement was reached, and the auction held on July 27 and 28, 2016, resulted in a victory for Nu Dot Co, which won the bid for $135 million—an amount that was unprecedented at the time for a new gTLD.

A few days later, Verisign confirmed that it had financed Nu Dot Co’s bid as part of an agreement stipulating that the registry contract could subsequently be transferred to it, subject to ICANN’s approval. This announcement marked the beginning of a new phase in the history of .web: several bidders challenged the process, while ICANN initiated the various review and resolution steps that would ultimately delay the launch of the domain extension.

Why did the launch take ten years?

One might assume that the launch of .web was subsequently delayed by technical difficulties. That was not the case. Following the 2016 auction, the process continued through a series of appeals, Independent Review Processes, and successive reviews by ICANN, focusing in particular on the terms of the transaction, the financing of Nu Dot Co’s bid, and the competitive issues related to the operation of the .web domain. Several decisions and reviews by the ICANN Board followed one after another before the matter could finally move forward.

2026: The launch at last

Finally delegated to the root zone in July 2026, the .web domain is now entering its launch phase, with a Sunrise period coming up, followed by a priority access period, and then its general availability on a date yet to be officially announced soon. Verisign is carefully preparing for this launch by drawing on the experience of its .com and .net infrastructure, which has been proven over decades.

One question remains—more commercial than technical: Is the context in 2026 favorable for such a launch? Since the launch of the first wave of new gTLDs, the domain naming landscape has changed significantly. More than a thousand new extensions have emerged, some of which have managed to establish themselves long-term—such as .xyz, .shop, and .online—while others are set to arrive next year as part of the 2026 round. As a result, .web now benefits from a much more mature market and evolving registration habits. Is it too late to shake up the market? It’s undoubtedly too early to say. But one thing is certain: after thirty years of waiting, .web finally has everything it needs to write its own story.

As the next round of new gTLDs enters the application review phase, the launch of .web symbolically brings to a close the cycle that began in 2012. After more than a decade of proceedings, the industry will finally be able to gauge the true potential of this domain extension, which has long been touted as the only one capable of rivaling .com. At the same time, the lessons learned from this process—which served as a true test case for ICANN—have shaped the rules of the new program, with the goal of making future launches faster, more transparent, and less contentious.

Stay tuned for our upcoming announcements to know the dates and terms of the .web launch. Your account managers are here to assist you.

dot WEB - key dates

ICANN86 : New ICANN round is open, artificial intelligence and DNS abuse 

ICANN86
Image source : ICANN’s website

From June 8th to the 11th, 2026, the ICANN community gathered in Seville, Spain, for the ICANN86 Policy Forum. This was the second time Spain had hosted a public ICANN meeting, following ICANN63, which was held in Barcelona in October 2018. Outside, Seville was already offering a taste of the Andalusian summer; inside, the air conditioning at the FIBES center allowed the 1,337 attendees to conserve their energy for the 116 scheduled sessions. This contrast was welcome as we turned to the hot topics of this edition, which was also followed by 548 remote participants. 

Among the most talked-about topics were the application round for new generic top-level domains, which opened on April 30th, DNS abuse, and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the domain name industry. These topics dominated discussions both in the hallways and in the meeting rooms. 

ICANN86
The FIBES Conference Center in Seville, the venue for ICANN86

The next round is underway, while SPIRT is being implemented 

The application window for the new series of domain name extensions is already halfway to its scheduled closing date of August 12. In Seville, discussions focused primarily on final operational adjustments, applicant preparation, and the ecosystem’s capacity to handle a potentially large volume of applications. No official figures have been released regarding the number of applicants who have already submitted their applications. For closed extensions dedicated to brands—known as “dot brands”—the community largely agreed that an application window concentrated into fifteen weeks in the middle of summer is not well-suited to companies’ internal decision-making cycles.   

While the process for implementing the application cycle appears to be largely stabilized, the discussions also highlighted the importance of the Standing Predictable Implementation Review Team (SPIRT), a mechanism designed to address questions of interpretation or difficulties that may arise during the implementation of the SubPro policy recommendations related to this new round. SPIRT will play an active role in the review of applications. It was created in direct response to an observation made during the 2012 round: the Applicant Guide Book could not anticipate every scenario encountered during the evaluation and delegation of new extensions. When an unprecedented problem arose, there was no clear mechanism to quickly determine whether to simply interpret the application guide, modify a procedure, or refer the issue to a much more cumbersome policy process. The Predictability Framework and the SPIRT were created specifically to address these issues, which are likely to arise again during this new round. 

Artificial Intelligence and DNS abuse: pervasive issues that outpace ICANN’s capacity 

Artificial intelligence was also a prominent topic during the sessions in Seville and was, in fact, one of the most closely followed themes. Several sessions were dedicated to the impact of AI on the domain name ecosystem and, in particular, on DNS abuse. Many attendees had to stand or sit on the floor. 

ICANN86
One of the sessions on AI and DNS abuse

ICANN86 served as a reminder that AI does not create a new category of DNS abuse but rather enables the industrial-scale production of existing abuses without requiring specialized knowledge. It makes it possible to generate more malicious domains, more credible phishing content, and more targeted campaigns. However, it also offers new means of detection and analysis. This dual reality largely dominated the discussions in Seville, where many participants highlighted the risk that technological advancements could outpace the ability of ICANN’s governance processes to adapt.   

The NetBeacon Institute summarized the impact of AI by highlighting an emerging phenomenon: AI has the potential to increase the scale and severity of attacks. It noted that the proportion of abuses generated by AI remains difficult to determine from the data, as automation is possible without AI. When it comes to remediation, AI can be useful provided it is used with caution and as a complement to human processes. Regarding governance, the institute advocated that policy work be based on broad principles and focus on specific problems that can be solved. 

These sessions also highlighted a well-known reality: ICANN often appears out of step with market realities. Its multistakeholder model is based on lengthy, structured, consensus-driven policy-making processes. While this approach ensures the legitimacy of decisions, it makes it difficult to respond quickly to developments that can sometimes unfold in just a few months. 

DNS abuse remains at the heart of policy work 

The fight against DNS abuse remains, in any case, one of ICANN’s main policy priorities. Several initiatives are currently underway. 

The first concerns “Associated Domain Checks,” often referred to as PDP1 on DNS abuse. This policy development process aims to examine the checks that can be performed on sets of interrelated domain names in order to improve the detection of abusive activities. The current timeline calls for the work to be finalized by November 2027. 

A second PDP designated as PDP2, will focus on safeguards regarding access to application programming interfaces (APIs) used in the context of new registrations. This work, which primarily concerns registrars, has not yet begun but is among the next steps that have been identified. 

A PDP3 will also focus on the obligations and measures applicable to registries in order to strengthen the prevention and handling of abuse. These two PDPs could be carried out in parallel if the necessary resources can be mobilized to tackle both issues at the same time. 

On these various issues, the positions of the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) — the body representing governments — and the Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) — which represents country-code top-level domain registries — continue to play an important role. The GAC regularly advocates for more robust measures and swifter action to address abuses affecting users. The ccNSO, while sharing the goal of combating malicious use, remains focused on preserving the unique characteristics of national registries and maintaining a balance between operational efficiency and regulatory constraints. The discussions in Seville confirmed that these two organizations will continue to influence the debates as the works move forward. 

Heading to Bali and the first lessons from the new ICANN round 

All eyes are now on ICANN87, which will be held in Bali at the end of October 2026. 

This meeting is expected to take place at a particularly strategic time. By then, the application window for the next round of new extensions will have closed, and the community will potentially have the first concrete details on the level of participation If the schedule is followed, the traditional “Reveal Day” may have already taken place, offering an initial snapshot of the submitted projects, the most sought-after strings, and the organizations involved in this new phase of domain name space expansion. 

ICANN86 demonstrated that the program for the new series of domain name extensions is progressing according to ICANN’s planned schedule. A widely shared concern among participants in Seville was that the application window — open for only 15 weeks, half of which falls in the middle of summer — is not suitable for .brand applicants. This is an issue that Nameshield raised on behalf of companies struggling to finalize their decisions on a Brand TLD project. The decision-making process for such projects is indeed lengthy due to organizational constraints, and the summer period is not conducive to these decisions in terms of the availability of many decision-makers. 

However, it’s important to keep in mind that the project submission window is set to close on August 12, and as of the publication of this article, this is your very last chance to submit your project. Nameshield will do everything in its power to build and submit your application in the short time remaining, but you must act immediately. 

At a time when artificial intelligence is making it possible to generate fraudulent content and increasingly convincing attacks on a large scale, the .brand domain extension emerges as a surprisingly simple solution to a complex problem. While AI can imitate a brand, it cannot register a domain name under its extension: a .brand is, in fact, a closed naming space reserved exclusively for the brand. Every domain within it is, by definition, authentic.  

At the next ICANN summit, four months from now, it will already be time to take stock of the applications that have been submitted—potentially for competing brands that have seized this unique opportunity. 

NIS2: The DENIC Registry Aims to Build Trust in the .DE Domain

NIS2: The DENIC Registry Aims to Build Trust in the .DE Domain
Image source : Samuel Hagger via Unsplash

The European NIS2 Cybersecurity Directive, which aims to strengthen the overall level of cybersecurity within the European Union by imposing new obligations on entities deemed critical to the operation of digital infrastructure, has now been transposed into the national laws of 19 Member States. Unlike the first NIS Directive, the text explicitly includes DNS operators and domain names.

The NIS2 transposition Directive into German law, which took effect on December 6th, 2025, has led DENIC, the registry for the .DE domain extension, to adapt its domain name management procedures and policies. This development is of particular importance given the significance of the .DE, which represents nearly 18 million active domain names and is now the world’s largest country code top-level domain (ccTLD) after China’s .CN.

Like other registry operators – particularly those representing intra-EU country-code top-level domains – DENIC has implemented several concrete measures to enhance the reliability of registration data and limit misuse. Accredited .DE registrars must implement controls to verify that the registered holder of a domain name is indeed the person or entity they claim to be. These verifications rely on the collection of identification documents or proof of address. In the event of an audit or targeted checks, the registrant has a period of seven to thirty days, depending on the circumstances, to submit the requested identification documents. Failure to do so may result in the domain name being deactivated and subsequently deleted. DENIC also reserves the right to suspend or refuse to activate certain domain names identified as potentially abusive or fraudulent.

While these changes are part of the process of complying with the European directive, they also reflect the registry’s commitment to strengthening the position of .DE as a trusted domain extension and reducing malicious uses related to phishing, spam, and fraudulent campaigns.

This issue is also the subject of new policies regarding generic top-level domains (gTLDs) initiated by ICANN. For DENIC, at least, these policies mark a major shift, as the registry has historically been known for its relatively open and flexible approach to registrant verification. This shift aligns with several academic studies and specialized reports on DNS abuse, which demonstrate a direct correlation between the quality of registration data, identity verification policies, and the level of abuse observed on a domain extension. Studies conducted in particular as part of ICANN’s European DAAR (Domain Abuse Activity Reporting) project also indicate that TLDs applying stricter controls on registrants and registrations generally have significantly lower rates of domains involved in malicious activities than extensions with more permissive registration policies.

Nameshield, a leading European provider of strategic domain name protection, DNS, and related services, ensures NIS2 compliance by adhering to the highest standards of security and quality. Nameshield has been accredited by DENIC for nearly 30 years. In this context, Nameshield has also strengthened identification measures for holders of .DE domains and an increasing number of extensions whose registries have requested additional measures directly related to the NIS2 Directive. Your account managers are available to provide any further information, and our sales teams are ready to offer solutions to help you build the best strategy for securing your digital assets.

EuroDIG: Building the European Internet of tomorrow and celebrating .eu 

EuroDIG 2026

On the 26th and 27th of May 2026, Brussels hosted the 19th edition of the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG), organised at the European Commission’s Charlemagne Building by EURid, the registry managing the .eu top-level domain. This edition took place as part of the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the operational launch of the European .eu top level domain. Under the theme ‘European Voices for the Future of the Internet’, the event brought together European policymakers, representatives of Internet governance bodies, technical stakeholders, digital companies, researchers and civil society organizations to discuss the major challenges facing Europe’s digital future. 

EuroDIG2026
The European Commission premises where the latest EuroDIG event took place

The two-day meeting opened with a topic of critical importance in the current geopolitical context: the European digital backbone. This term refers to the entire range of critical digital infrastructure that the European Union is seeking to develop or bring together in order to reduce its dependence on American and Chinese giants: fibre – optic and submarine networks, cloud computing, data centres, AI, Internet interconnections, cybersecurity, and sovereign data platforms and services. 

Two major concepts have emerged:  

  • the Gaia X project  
  • the more recent EuroStack initiative 

They aim to create a resilient, sovereign European Internet.  

Gaia X aims to create a federated, interoperable, secure cloud and data infrastructure that is compatible with the European standards of the various countries. 

EuroStack, meanwhile, aims to build a comprehensive European technology stack to make the EU independent in several critical areas: 

  • semiconductors,  
  • connectivity,  
  • the cloud,  
  • AI,  
  • platforms,  
  • software,  
  • digital identity,  
  • digital public services, 
  • cybersecurity. 

To support these projects and consolidate the legislative framework, Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, highlighted the ‘Tech Sovereignty Package’— a cross-cutting legislative and industrial package she is spearheading — which is designed to strengthen the European Union’s technological autonomy in digital sectors deemed critical. The forum’s central themes — sovereign cloud, trustworthy AI, infrastructure resilience, cybersecurity, European digital identity, data governance and strategic autonomy — aligned directly with the package’s priorities. Henna Virkkunen also reiterated that data control remains a key element of this sovereignty, advocating for data storage with European providers in Europe. This is an important point when one considers, for example, that 70% of the global cloud is currently owned by Amazon, Google and Microsoft. 

EuroDIG 2026
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy

In the field of quantum technologies, research topics and technological advances were also presented. In particular, the EU has invested in research through the ‘EU Quantum Flagship’, a funding program launched in 2018. Regarding AI, the desire to have sovereign AI systems was highlighted, whilst emphasizing that we must maintain a critical perspective on this technology, which is becoming increasingly prevalent in our lives. 

Europe has also been built around the .eu top level domain, which has celebrated its 20th anniversary  

EuroDIG served as a reminder that the EU is taking the lead on many issues to make Europe more resilient and distinctive in Internet technologies in a world that has become uncertain. But these initiatives must also be backed and supported by the multitude of Member States and citizens that make up the EU. Among the issues that Europeans have fully embraced – and which can therefore be counted as successes – is the pan-European digital identity, the .eu. Launched on 7 December 2005, the .eu now has 3.8 million registered domains, with a renewal rate of around 81%, reflecting a stable and loyal user base. The domain extension is among the top 10 country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) worldwide and is available in the various alphabets used within the European Union thanks to the variants .ею (Cyrillic) and .ευ (Greek). Peter Janssen, General Manager of EURid, reiterated the essence of .eu: “.EU represents an open, secure and aligned with democratic values namespace”.  

EuroDIG pointed out that the European Internet remains heavily dependent on non-EU countries, both in terms of infrastructure and technology, and that the solution does not lie in geographical isolation either. The growing awareness, along with the various current initiatives and measures at the EU level, are to be welcomed in a world that has become increasingly fragmented and unstable. While Nameshield has always promoted its solutions towards a sovereign European approach, this is an opportunity to reiterate that domain names and the DNS are central elements in companies’ digital strategies. Building digital sovereignty requires making informed choices about the partners we work with and adopting solutions that support a corporate digital sovereignty strategy. A hot topic at the moment, the Brand TLD — a solution offered by Nameshield — is one such solution. 

ICANN 85: The detailed schedule for the next round of new generic extensions confirmed

ICANN85

Although ICANN regularly visits Asia, we have to go back to ICANN 57 exactly 10 years ago to find India as the host country for an ICANN Summit. Following Hyderabad in 2016, it was the financial capital, Mumbai, that hosted the 85th ICANN Summit from 7 to 12 March. A summit taking place just seven weeks before the opening of the new application window for new extensions, but also against the backdrop of a geopolitical landscape that has once again been thrown into turmoil, one week after the start of military strikes in Iran and Lebanon.

Participation remains strong despite the geopolitical context

ICANN reported 1,407 on-site attendees from 112 countries, a figure close to the typical attendance levels at the organization’s first annual summits. Nevertheless, there was a sense that the rooms hosting the 200 sessions seemed less crowded than usual. The impact of the military intervention in Iran on affected air routes throughout the region likely played a role in this. Many participants reported having to opt for remote or abbreviated participation due to flight uncertainties.

A Welcome ceremony that balances solemnity with a focus on the work ahead

ICANN Board Chair, Tripti Sinha reminded attendees at the opening ceremony that she was born in the state of Maharashtra, of which Mumbai is the capital. She addressed the global situation, noting that ICANN85 is taking place “during a time of profound suffering.” But she also emphasized that what unites us is stronger, citing a Sanskrit proverb: “The world is one family,” which echoes ICANN’s slogan: “One World, One Internet.”

For Tripti, this week was to focus on three main topics:

  • The conclusion of the WSIS+20 review, which recognizes the role of multistakeholder internet governance;
  • Accountability and transparency, with ICANN’s new holistic review currently underway;
  • And the launch of the new round of applications for internet extensions.

On this last point, she noted that it is “the culmination of years of work.”

Kurtis Lindqvist, ICANN’s CEO, added to these topics the ongoing work to establish binding deadlines for urgent requests for access to domain name registration data and authentication technologies, as well as the progress still needed regarding DNS abuse.

Detailed timeline for the next round unveiled

Eight thematic and operational sessions were dedicated to the next round of new top-level domains. What are the key takeaways?

ICANN85 first confirmed the major upcoming milestones of the program as well as the proposed dates.

ICANN 85: The detailed schedule  for the next round of new generic extensions

April 30 to August 12, 2026: Application submission window

Until early October 2026: ICANN administrative review period for applications

Mid-October: “Reveal Day”. It is the official publication by ICANN of the complete list of valid applications submitted for new extensions.

Until early November: Replacement string period. This is a new mechanism that allows applicants who have applied for the same extension or extensions deemed similar to replace their initial string by a replacement string declared in their application. Applicants for dot brand extensions may choose to add a term to their brand that corresponds to the goods and services declared in their registered trademark. The substitution window is expected to last 14 days. ICANN hopes this will reduce disputes between applicants seeking identical or overly similar extensions.

Mid-November: “String Confirmation Day”. ICANN will publish the official and final list of applications for new top-level domains.

November 2026 – February 2027 (104 days): Community input and objection period. This period allows members of the GAC—the body representing governments—and observers to submit comments, opinions, alerts, and objections.

At the same time, in mid-December, ICANN plans to hold a Priority Draw Event, a lottery to determine the order in which applications will be processed during the evaluation phase. This process was also used during the 2012 round.

June 2027: Deadline for the submission of reports by an evaluation panel on string similarities among the submitted applications and in relation to existing extensions. A 30-day objection period will be opened to challenge a candidate string if it creates confusion with another extension.

Starting in the second half of 2027: Dispute resolution is expected to follow, along with the review of applications to move toward contractualization and integration into the DNS root, the long-awaited delegation of the first extensions.

ICANN emphasized that these dates remain subject to change, particularly depending on the volume of applications that are submitted. ICANN has nevertheless indicated that it has sufficient capacity to handle a volume of applications similar to that of the 2012 round, or nearly 2,000 applications.

The latest tools for the next round are finally known

Among the two major elements still to be confirmed for the next round are the application submission tool and the ICANN contract for future registry operators seeking to participate.

To the 2012 TAS (TLD Application System), we must now add the letter « M ». TAMS (TLD Application Management System) indeed is the name of the new portal ICANN has developed to manage applications during the 2026 round. This portal, unveiled late in the process, is currently in the testing phase, particularly to assess its robustness. Some participants expressed regrets that it was unveiled so late and that it lacks certain helpful features, such as the ability to export data. 

The new registry agreement, another key element for future registry operators, reached a conclusion with its approval during the public session of the ICANN Board of Directors, which is traditionally held at the close of the summit.

The geopolitical context and DNS abuse were discussed throughout ICANN85

Whether through targeted sessions or questions from participants during Q&A slots, geopolitical issues also came up at ICANN 85. Following the Opening Ceremony, ICANN scheduled a session titled: “From Stability to Survivability: ICANN’s Role in the Future of Internet Resilience.” During this participatory session, ICANN sought to examine how the DNS ecosystem can withstand global systemic failures that would affect the cloud, energy supply, the digital supply chain, and software dependencies. For example, the session revealed that for 38% of participants, ICANN’s main blind spot is cross-sector coordination—specifically communication with the energy, telecommunications, and finance sectors, areas over which the organization has no control. Second, respondents cited ICANN’s difficulty in ensuring operational compliance among registries and registrars under global conditions that would have become extremely challenging.

Regarding DNS abuse—a topic that has also come up repeatedly—a mixed assessment was made of the impact of the contractual amendments introduced over the past two years for registry operators and registrars. ICANN85 marked the operational launch of a first new policy development process to work on « Associated Domain Checks », a mechanism that would require registrars to verify other domain names linked to the same registrant when a domain is identified as malicious. Its goal is to identify networks of domains used for activities such as phishing, botnets, or malware and to act more quickly against coordinated campaigns.

With less than five weeks to go before the application window for the next round opens, now is a good time to remind everyone that applying for an internet domain extension—particularly .brand—requires advance planning, as time is now running out. We’re already in the final sprint. Should you apply or not? Which extension should you pursue, and what alternative string should you consider, if necessary? Who should you contact to help gather the materials for the application? What budgets should you rely on to cover the application process? In just over four months, the window will indeed already close, yet an application requires preparation to cover the 225 sub-sections of the application and meet tight deadlines.

Nameshield offers a turnkey and tailored approach to simplify all your steps as much as possible, meet deadlines, track your application from start to finish to bring it to the contract stage and then integration into the global DNS root, and subsequently provide you with all the expertise to maximize its benefits while ensuring its long-term contractual and regulatory compliance. If there’s one tip to take away from ICANN85 regarding the next round: “Don’t wait until the last minute.” Take action now by entrusting your project to us.