How to Launch Your Own TLD: Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a New Domain Extension

Launching your own top-level domain (TLD) sounds like the kind of move reserved for tech giants and governments, but it’s possible for entrepreneurs, brands, and even niche communities. The catch? It takes serious planning, capital, and compliance with ICANN’s rules.

Back in 2012, when ICANN opened its first large-scale application round for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), more than 1,900 proposals came in from every corner of the globe. Tech giants filed for branded extensions like .google and .apple, entrepreneurs pitched ideas like .club and .guru, enterpreneurs pitched ideas like .club and .guru, and entire cities fought for digital turf with .nyc and .berlin. The application fee was $185,000, a number that startled outsiders, but the rush proved one thing: control of a TLD was one of the internet’s most coveted prizes.

Today, launching a TLD is still possible, though not easy. Whether you want .brand, .city, or the next big generic extension, this guide walks through how the process works, what hurdles stand in the way, and what it really takes to move from an idea to operating your own domain extension.

Quick Facts: Launching a TLD

• Application Authority: ICANN’s New gTLD Program
• Next Application Round: Expected to open April 2026 (12–15 week window)
• Application Fee: Projected US $227,000 per TLD (range: $208k–$293k, depending on number of applicants)
• Timeline: Average 15 months from application to delegation
• Registry Partners: Identity Digital, Verisign, CentralNic (among others)
• Common Use Cases: Branded TLDs (.google, .apple), community TLDs (.club), city TLDs (.nyc), eCommerce TLDs (.shop, .buy) and even up and coming TLDS like .now and .xyz
• Biggest Lesson from 2012 Round: Extensions succeed when they have clear audiences and adoption plans

Understanding What a TLD Really Means

A top-level domain is more than just a web address ending. It is a slice of the internet’s root zone, a namespace you can control and monetize. Owning one puts you in the role of registry operator: you define who can register under your extension, set pricing models, and enforce policies.

Some pursue TLDs for brand control, like .google, .aws, or .microsoft. Others use them to carve out community hubs, like .club. For some, the motive is financial: running a registry can create a steady stream of revenue from registrations. Whatever the reason, the scale of responsibility is enormous. Running a TLD means operating critical infrastructure, not just securing a vanity URL.

If you’re curious which extensions are trending right now, check out our guide to the Top 10 Domain Extensions for 2025 to see what’s gaining traction.

The Role of ICANN

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) oversees the global namespace. To launch a TLD, you must apply through ICANN’s New gTLD Program. This is not like registering a .com on Namecheap. You are asking to run an extension at the very top of the internet’s hierarchy, which means you must demonstrate both technical capacity and financial stability.

ICANN’s requirements include:

• Evidence of a qualified back-end registry provider.
• Proof of long-term financial resources.
• Compliance with strict rules on security, stability, and rights protection.

Major companies are already playing this game at scale. We covered some of the most notable brand-owned extensions in The Extension Showdown.

Choosing the Right Registry Partner

Most applicants do not run their own DNS infrastructure. Instead, they work with a registry service provider that manages uptime, stability, and compliance. Companies like Identity Digital, CentralNic, and Verisign specialize in this work, and their reputation will play a large role in ICANN’s evaluation.

This partnership is not a side detail. Your registry provider is your backbone, the one responsible for keeping your TLD online. A weak partner can doom your extension before it gains traction.

Crafting a Business Plan for Your TLD

ICANN wants to see that you can operate sustainably, but beyond compliance, you need a plan to make the TLD successful. Consider:

• Who will register under it? Is your market niche (like .photography) or broad like .shop)?
• How will you price it? Will you offer premium tiers, or keep it simple?
• Where will you sell it? Through major registrars like GoDaddy, or via direct sales?
• How will you build awareness? Without marketing, even the most creative extension can languish.

TLDs that thrive usually combine a clear identity with strong distribution. Extensions that fail often launch without a plan for adoption.

Startups in particular should think carefully about extension strategy. We’ve broken down the pros and cons in our Best Domain Extensions for Startups guide.

Navigating ICANN’s Evaluation

The application process is long and demanding. It includes an initial evaluation of your technical and financial capabilities, a potential extended review if issues arise, and an objection phase where competitors, governments, or interest groups can challenge your claim.

If successful, you will move to contracting and sign the Registry Agreement with ICANN. Delegation to the root zone typically happens about 15 months after your initial application, though delays are common.

Launching and Operating the TLD

Getting a TLD into the root is a milestone, but it is only the beginning. You must now maintain uptime, report to ICANN, and grow your namespace. Policies, dispute resolutions, and compliance obligations never go away. Meanwhile, marketing is critical if you want people to use your extension. Many of the 2012-era gTLDs faded because they failed to attract real adoption. Choosing the wrong extension can hurt adoption. We broke down the risks in The Hidden Cost of a Bad TLD.

New extensions don’t just create fresh namespaces, they also affect the value of legacy domains, which we explored this dynamic in How New TLDs Are Making .COM Domains Even More Expensive.

Lessons from the First Wave

Looking back, the 2012 round offers lessons for anyone preparing for 2026. Successful TLDs paired a strong idea with committed resources. Weak concepts with no clear audience struggled, no matter how flashy the name. And while costs were high, the real challenge was execution; convincing people to trust, adopt, and build on your namespace.

One of the standout stories is the team that turned .co into a global brand. Their success was not just about popularizing the extension, it was about bold marketing, partnerships, and relentless positioning against .com. What started as a ccTLD (Columbia), ended up becoming popularized with startups by the team who put in pure grit, marketing and execution to make it happen. If you want to see how a small country code transformed into a startup-friendly powerhouse, check out our deep dive on the history of the .CO TLD launch.

Some TLDs succeed because they lean into quirky, memorable branding. Take .ninja for example, which we unpacked its rise in Unmasking the .ninja.

Final Thoughts

Launching a TLD is not a casual project. It is closer to running a utility than buying a domain. The barriers are high, and the rewards are significant for those who succeed. But, not all TLDs earn trust. In fact, some cheap extensions have become magnets for abuse. Our piece on The Rise of Scam Domains explains how bad actors exploit weak policies.

The lesson from past applicants is clear: treat a TLD as both an ownership responsibility and a long-term investment. Protect it with the right partners, plan it with financial discipline, and promote it with vision. A TLD is not just a vanity badge, it is infrastructure. And in the digital economy, those who control infrastructure often control the future.

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