Also called generic top-level domain
gTLD, explained
IANA's root zone database sorts top-level domains by type. Generic covers .com, .net, .org, .info and the new gTLDs; generic-restricted covers .biz, .name and .pro; sponsored covers restricted extensions such as .edu, .gov and .aero. Country codes, infrastructure and test names are separate categories. The legacy gTLDs predate the 2012 application round, which introduced more than 1,200 new gTLDs; those held 52.9 million registrations at the end of Q2 2026, up 34.0% year over year.
The contract is what matters to an investor. Every gTLD is covered by the UDRP and by ICANN's Transfer Policy, including its 60-day transfer restrictions, and every gTLD registry except the sponsored ones must offer a 30-day redemption grace period. Popular extensions such as .ai, .io and .co are country-code TLDs, not gTLDs, so their registries set their own lifecycle, transfer and dispute rules; check them before you buy.
Liquidity inside the gTLD family is uneven. Legacy .com dominates resale, while many new gTLDs price their strongest names as registry premiums, sometimes with premium renewals that make them expensive to hold. Before buying a new gTLD name, check its renewal price, how many end users would choose that extension and its actual sales history.
More gTLDs are coming. ICANN's 2026 application window ran from April 30 to August 12, 2026, the first round since 2012, and 1,616 applications will proceed. The applied-for strings are scheduled to be published on Reveal Day, October 7, 2026, with a prioritization draw in the first half of 2027.
Example. An investor comparing .xyz with .io notes that .xyz, a gTLD, follows ICANN's transfer and expiry policies, while .io, a ccTLD, follows its own registry's rules.
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- IANA — Root Zone Database, TLD types (accessed Oct 1, 2026)
- DNIB.com (Verisign) — Domain Name Industry Brief Q2 2026 (July 23, 2026)
- ICANN — Expired Registration Recovery Policy
- ICANN — Application window opens for new gTLDs, 2026 round (Apr 30, 2026)
- CircleID — ICANN confirms 1,616 applications will proceed in 2026 new gTLD round (Sept 23, 2026)
- ICANN — Reveal Day and other 2026 round milestones (Sept 29, 2026)
Education, not financial, legal or tax advice. Domain investing is speculative and most domain names never sell. Read the disclaimer.
