GoDaddy applies for 77 top level domains

GoDaddy has applied for 77 new top-level domains, a major expansion by the world’s largest registrar. Most of the applications face contention, which means the outcome will be shaped by ICANN’s 2026 round and could affect the value and availability of new domain names.

GoDaddy largely stayed out of the 2012 new gTLD round. It entered the registry business through the Neustar acquisition in 2020 and now operates strings such as .club, .design and .xxx. The 77 applications mark a shift from buying existing TLDs to applying for new ones at scale.

Most of the strings are generic, everyday words: .air, .bit, .chef, .flow, .hub, .list, .power, .trip and others. For domain holders, the practical effect will come later, when and if these TLDs launch. Generic strings tend to attract registrants looking for shorter, category-based names, and they can also create new brand protection work for companies whose trademarks match the strings.

Contention is the main constraint. Sixty-six of GoDaddy’s applications match strings other companies applied for, and ICANN’s new rule on singular and plural combinations may add further conflicts. Contested strings typically go to auction or private resolution, which raises the cost of operating a TLD before a single domain is sold. .labs and .lab are among the most contested, with thirteen applicants.

Two applications point to GoDaddy’s product strategy rather than the open registration market. .Airo is a dot-brand for its AI platform, and .ANS and .agentID relate to using DNS for agent identification. Dot-brands are usually closed, defensive spaces. They matter less to buyers of domain names and more to observers watching how registries use DNS for identity and AI-related services.

For existing domain holders, the main implications are indirect. New TLDs can shift demand toward fresh, shorter names, but they rarely erase the value of established .com and country-code domains. The bigger near-term story is registry economics: a registrar with a large customer base can distribute new TLDs through its own channels, which may change how these strings are marketed and priced.

What remains unknown is which applications survive contention, how ICANN resolves the singular and plural conflicts, and whether GoDaddy will operate all of its winning strings or later sell or abandon some of them. The 2026 round is still in its early stages, and the portfolio that ultimately launches may look different from the application list.