ICANN has received more than 1,600 applications in its latest round for new generic top-level domains. The official list has not yet been published, but several applicants have already revealed names such as .gram, .easy, .anime and .stack.
So, what happens next, and what could the new round mean for Realtime Register partners?
ICANN closed the application window for its 2026 new-gTLD round on 12 August 2026. A generic top-level domain (gTLD) is the part after the final dot in a domain name, such as .com, .shop or .online.
More than 1,600 primary applications were submitted. Over 1,100 of these also included a replacement string: an alternative extension that an applicant may choose under certain conditions after Reveal Day. The final number of applications has not yet been confirmed.
Importantly, these are applications, not approved domain extensions. They cannot yet be registered, and not every application will ultimately result in a new extension.
ICANN will publish the official list of applications on Reveal Day. Until then, we only know about strings that applicants have chosen to announce themselves.
Some examples have already emerged:
These announcements provide an early indication of what may be coming, but they are not yet the official ICANN list. Some announced strings may also be replacement strings rather than applicants' primary choices.
The next major milestone is Reveal Day, when ICANN will publish the applications that have passed its administrative check. This will give the industry its first complete view of the applied-for strings and applicants, as well as strings that may be in contention.
ICANN expects Reveal Day to take place no later than nine weeks after the application window closed. It expects to announce the exact date and the timeline for subsequent milestones in mid-September 2026.
After Reveal Day, several further stages follow:
Stage | Expected timing | What it means |
|---|---|---|
Administrative checks | August–October 2026 | ICANN reviews submitted applications before publication. |
Reveal Day | Projected for October 2026 | ICANN publishes the applications that passed the administrative check, including applied-for and replacement strings and initial contention information. |
Replacement period | 14 days after Reveal Day | Eligible applicants can choose to permanently switch to a replacement string submitted with their application. |
String Confirmation Day | Projected for November 2026 | ICANN publishes the final list of applied-for strings following the replacement period. |
Prioritisation draw | After String Confirmation Day | Applications receive priority numbers that help determine their general processing order. |
Evaluation and objections | From late 2026 onwards | Applications move through technical, operational, financial and policy-related processes. |
Contracting and launch | To be determined | Successful applicants must complete contracting and technical requirements before an extension can be delegated and eventually launched. |
*These dates are still projections and may change as the programme progresses.
For Hosting Providers, Digital Agencies and Domain Resellers, the most important question is not how many applications were submitted. It is which extensions will eventually become available for registration and which of those are relevant to your customers.
Not every successful application will become a domain product that registrars can offer. Some may operate as closed dotBrands, while others could have specific eligibility requirements or be intended for particular communities or platforms. Applications may also face contention, objections or other evaluation processes before they can proceed.
Once the official list becomes available, we can start assessing the proposed extensions from a partner perspective. This includes factors such as:
The distinction between an applied-for extension and a commercially relevant domain product is important. A closed dotBrand such as .easy, for example, would not represent the same opportunity for resellers as an open extension intended for general registration.
Realtime Register already supports more than 2,000 domain extensions through our platform and API. As the new round progresses, we will assess which new extensions could be relevant to our partners and translate the developments into practical information and opportunities.
For now, no technical action is required.
Reveal Day is the next milestone to watch. Once ICANN publishes the official application list, we will have a much clearer picture of the proposed extensions, competing applications and candidates that could eventually become relevant to your business.
Until then, announced strings should be treated as candidates, not confirmed domain products.
We will continue to follow the 2026 new-gTLD round and keep you informed as the official list, evaluation results and future launch plans become available.