ICANN Has 100 gTLD Applicants, More To Come. Are You Among Them?

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN in short, confirmed that as of February 13th, the number of successful registrants in the online TLD application systems now stands at 100 of them.

We should note that this doesn’t mean there will be one hundred new gTLD domain names, since each registrant can apply for up to 50 new generic top-level domains. Yep, we could get over 5.000 new global top-level domains, for now (in some ideal scenario).

The 100 applicants are actually those who paid their $5.000 fee for signing up for a ICANN’s TLD Application System. You can also apply, as soon as you do it before March 29, after which you’ll have to wait at least three years for a new opportunity.

Global Top-Level Domains

Why would anyone want a custom gTLD? Well, there are number of reasons but you should know that you can’t get it just like that. To get a custom gTLD you’d have to pay a fee of $185,000.00 per domain name with a $5,000 deposit for TLD Application System. Not so cheap, eh?

Nevertheless, some countries, like Australia for example, are really getting ready when it comes to their gTLD. ARI Registry Services just won the rights to operate and manage the proposed .sydney, .melbourne and .victoria domain names.

In just a bit more than a month, ICANN got 100 gTLD applicants. However, it still doesn’t want to reveal who they are. That information will be released approximately two weeks after the application period gets closed in May 2012. If you have some extra money and want to have your own gTLD, you can still apply for it. Maybe we’ll see your name on the applicants list in May 😉