ICANN 2026 New gTLD Round
Secure Your dotBrand Application
The window for the first gTLD expansion in over a decade is now open. Don’t mistake the decision to apply for your final go-to-market strategy. GCD helps you secure your dotBrand as a strategic asset today, preserving your digital options for the next ten years.
Innovation & Flexibility
Unmistakable Authenticity
Train users to trust your brand TLD (e.g., home.barclays), making it exponentially harder for cybercriminals to conduct phishing or social engineering attacks.
Namespace Control & Consolidation
Eliminate the ongoing effort and cost of defensive registrations across open TLDs by gaining complete control over your own brand namespace.
Root-Level Security
Define security standards at the highest level, mandating technologies like DNSSEC, DMARC, and HTTPS (via HSTS-preload) across all domains in your TLD.
Unified Digital Ecosystems
Simplify complex, multi-domain portfolios into a cohesive, secure convention, as Microsoft is doing by moving its M365 apps to cloud.microsoft.
Agile Marketing and Campaigns
Launch campaign-specific domains instantly (e.g., next100.bmw) or use short, branded link shorteners (go.zara) for social media, reinforcing the brand with every click.
Global & Partner Standardization
Create consistent, trusted portals for customers, partners, or employees, or leverage the dotBrand for global consistency (e.g., [countrycode].abbott) instead of relying on ccTLDs.
Experience Matters: Partnering with GCD
Our team has been intimately involved in the new gTLD program since its inception in 2008 and includes former leaders and chairs of ICANN constituencies.
- End-to-End Support: GCD is the only provider that can offer an end-to-end in-house dotBrand solution, including back-end registry services through GoDaddy Registry.
- Trusted Partner: We have worked with some of the largest brands in the world to apply for, secure, and manage their TLDs, including supporting over 140 dotBrand TLDs.
Is a DotBrand Right for You?
A Framework for Internal Exploration
Applying for a dotBrand is a rare, time-sensitive investment that requires focused internal planning to succeed. While the TLD may not go live until late 2027 or 2028, the critical decision to secure the asset must be formalized by Q4 2025. We can help you move past initial uncertainty, align key stakeholders—from Legal and IT to Marketing—and develop the strategic Point of View needed to capture this generational opportunity.
GCD Insights
News, Events & Resources
February 17, 2026
Why the Next gTLD Round is a CISO Priority
January 26, 2026
DotBrands as the Trust Layer for AI Agents
Read More
September 30, 2025
dotBrand Flash Sessions
Read More
Discover the Right Domain Solutions for You
Ready to take the next step? Connect with our experts for a personalized demo to discover our platform's capabilities and discuss your specific needs.