Verisign is exercising its option to raise the price of a .net domain, capped by contract with ICANN by 10%, starting about six months from now. The company told the markets yesterday: On August 27, 2026, VeriSign, Inc. announced an
Domain Incite
Domain Incite is a specialized publisher focusing on news and analysis related to the domain name industry, including developments in internet governance, domain registries, and related corporate activities. It covers topics such as new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), company restructurings within the domain sector, leadership changes in domain-related companies, and significant events affecting the domain name community. The publication provides updates on organizations like ICANN and key industry players, offering insights into regulatory, technical, and business aspects of domain names and internet infrastructure.
Robles to join ICANN board
By Kevin Murphy
ICANN’s Address Supporting Organization has selected Oscar Robles to serve an abridged term on ICANN’s board of directors. He will serve until the end of ICANN’s public meeting in November 2027, serving the remainder of the term of Alan Barrett,…
Former ICANN director Bertrand de La Chapelle dies
By Kevin Murphy
Former ICANN director Bertrand de La Chapelle has died unexpectedly, according to friends and colleagues paying tribute to his life this week. La Chapelle served on the ICANN board between 2010 and 2013, at the behest of the Nominating Committee,…
Fifty-six orgs get 85% off their gTLD fees
By Kevin Murphy
ICANN has revealed the final statistics for its Applicant Support Program, the deal that sees non-profits and others get up to 85% off their $227,000 new gTLD application fees. The number of qualified, fully confirmed applicants topped out at 56,…
Texas will object to .texas gTLD
By Kevin Murphy
The US State of Texas has become the first government to publicly object to any gTLD applications matching its name. Anthony Sauerhoff, state chief information officer, wrote to ICANN earlier this month to unambiguously state that Texas does not support…
WordPress hints it applied for more new gTLDs
By Kevin Murphy
WordPress.com owner Automattic has dropped some pretty major hints that it applied for a modest portfolio of new gTLDs in ICANN’s just-closed application window. In a blog post, the company all but confirmed that it has applied for at least…
Could you type a .chrysanthemun domain name?
By Kevin Murphy
Does .chrysanthemam portend the end of type-in domain names, or is it just an incredibly dumb gTLD idea? Chinese portfolio applicant Journey To The West Corporation announced earlier in the week that it has applied for .chrysanthemim, one of 323…
LFG boss on why Telegram gTLD fight might not be all bad news
By Kevin Murphy
It’s currently the highest-profile fight of the 2026 new gTLD round, but the CEO of one applicant has a positive spin on having to go up against one or two deep-pocketed social media giants. The announcement by Telegram boss Pavel…
Harper replaces Deutsch on ICANN board
By Kevin Murphy
ICANN’s Nominating Committee has revealed its picks for ICANN’s board of directors and it looks like they will be considerably less controversial than last year’s round. Sarah Deutsch is leaving the board at the end of October’s annual general meeting…
Let’s just get this out of the way: yes there will be a .fart fight
By Kevin Murphy
clownpenis.fart will very probably be a real domain name one day, but there will be a .fart fight over it. Two applicants — Link Freedom Group and Endpoint Domains — have confirmed that they have applied for the new gTLD…