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Issue #1: ICANN’s gTLD Round & Big $2.4 Million Domain Purchase

In this first issue, we explore ICANN’s upcoming gTLD application round, highlight major domain acquisitions like BigCommerce’s $2.4M purchase, and share tips on domain security and monetization strategies.

Author

Lakshmi Sankar
May 14, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

NEWS

ICANN Prepares for Next gTLD Application Round

ICANN has announced plans for its next round of generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) applications, anticipated in late 2026. This presents an opportunity for brands, cities, and niche markets to secure custom extensions. The move aims to expand the domain name system and foster innovation in the digital space.
SOURCE: cscdbs.com

Total Registered Domains Hit 368.4 Million

The global domain name base reached 368.4 million registrations by the end of Q1 2025, reflecting continued demand across gTLDs, ccTLDs, and emerging domain extensions. Growth remains steady, driven by brand expansions, new startups, and rising interest in web3 domains.
SOURCE: onlinedomain.com

DOMAIN 101s

DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) ensures that DNS data isn't tampered with. It works by cryptographically signing DNS records, helping to block attacks like DNS spoofing or cache poisoning.

Domain Investing

Saw.com Discloses New Sales — Including Its Longest Domain Ever

Saw.com shared several recent domain sales, including an ultra-long domain name, illustrating demand for both keyword-rich and quirky branding domains.
its MidnightintheGardenofGoodandEvil.com
SOURCE: domainnamewire.com

Major Domain Acquisition: BigCommerce's $2.4 Million Purchase

BigCommerce (Nasdaq: BIGC), a leading e-commerce platform, disclosed in its Q1 2025 financial results that it acquired a domain name for $2.444 million. While the specific domain wasn't officially revealed, industry speculation points to commerce.com as the likely purchase.
SOURCE: domainnamewire.com

Make Some Cash from Your Domains: Here's How

Got domains you’re not using? Turn them into money! A post on NamePros covers some cool ways to monetize your domains, from parking them for passive income to building out a full website. If you’ve got domains, it’s time to start earning!
Read the full guide here:
Revenue Streams List of Assorted Domain Name Monetization Strategies

Did You Know?: First Domain Registrar

The first domain name registrar was Network Solutions, which was founded in 1993. It was one of the first to handle domain name registrations for public use.

Till next time.

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