This article was published on October 23, 2013

ICANN introduces its first top-level domains using non-Latin characters


ICANN introduces its first top-level domains using non-Latin characters

ICANN announced today that it has begun its expansion of new top-level domains, including the first names that use non-Latin characters, such as Arabic, Cyrillic and Chinese.

The expansion will take the number of generic top-level domains (gTLDs) from 22 to 1,400. Non-Latin domain strings include:

  • شبكة (xn--ngbc5azd) – Arabic for “web/network”
    Registry: International Domain Registry Pty. Ltd.
  • онлайн (xn--80asehdb) – Cyrillic for “online”
    Registry: CORE Association
  • сайт (xn--80aswg) – Cyrillic for “site”
    Registry: CORE Association
  • 游戏(xn--unup4y) – Chinese for “game(s)”
    Registry: Spring Fields, LLC

Domain registries will undergo a 30-day waiting period for trademark owners to protect their marks before the new gTLDs take effect.

➤ Internet Domain Name Expansion Now Underway [ICANN.org]

Thumbnail credit: Andrew Cowie / AFP / Getty Images

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