ICANN has revealed the applications in its 2026 new gTLD round: 1,615 applications for new top-level domains, 333 of them from brands, filed by 481 applicants. The list went public on October 7, 2026, in an ICANN announcement that opens the first new extension round since 2012. The most fought-over string is .agent, with 13 applicants including OpenAI, Meta and Google. Nothing has been approved yet, and no new extension from this round will go live before 2027. Here is what ICANN published, how it compares to 2012, and what it means if you buy domains or own a brand.

What ICANN revealed on Reveal Day

On Reveal Day ICANN published every applied-for string, the name of each applicant and the public parts of each application. Its snapshot of the 2026 round, which ICANN says may still change:

• 1,615 applications in total, from 481 applicants, according to CircleID's count of ICANN's database.
• 333 brand applications (a company applying for its own name, like .openai).
• 16 community applications, 15 self-identified geographic names, 21 internationalized (non-Latin script) names and 9 variant applications.
• 51 applications from the Applicant Support Program, which gives qualifying applicants a reduced fee.
• By region: North America 864, Europe 506, Asia/Australia/Pacific 218, Africa 16, Latin America and the Caribbean 11.

The count has moved a little along the way. ICANN received 1,663 applications when the window closed on August 12, and 1,616 paid the evaluation fee in time. One of those, an application for .wdo, is still under administrative review, which leaves 1,615 in the public list.

ICANN CEO Kurtis Lindqvist called Reveal Day "an important milestone for the next expansion of the Domain Name System."

The strings that stand out

AI dominates the contested names. CircleID found 13 applications for .agent, 7 for .agi and 5 for .asi, with OpenAI and the registry company Radix in all three. Other crowded strings include .bit (11 applications) and .api, .brand and .hub (10 each).

The brand list reads like a map of today's tech industry. OpenAI filed 15 applications, including .openai, .chatgpt, .codex and .gpt. Meta applied for .facebook, .instagram, .whatsapp, .threads and, notably, .superintelligence. Google's registry arm applied for .gemini, .deepmind, .pixel and .waymo. Anthropic applied for .anthropic and .claude. Portfolio registries filed in bulk: Link Freedom Group filed 158 applications and XYZ.COM 139.

Contention sets are groups of applications for the same string. A preliminary count published by CaptainDNS on October 10 found 263 sets covering 891 applications, so more than half of all applications face a rival. ICANN itself has not yet published a total.

How the 2026 round compares to 2012

The 2026 round is a bit smaller than 2012 but more crowded where it counts. The 2012 round drew 1,930 applications, about 1,400 unique strings and 234 contention sets, and it added more than 1,200 new gTLDs, according to ICANN and CaptainDNS. This round's biggest fight, over .agent, shows how much the internet has changed since then.

A few rules have changed in ways that matter:

• The fee. The base evaluation fee is $227,000 per application. Applicants who withdraw by November 27, 2026 get 65% back.
• No private auctions. In 2012 many contention sets were settled in private auctions, where losing applicants could walk away with cash. Private auctions are not permitted in 2026, and unresolved sets go to ICANN's own auction of last resort, as GoDaddy Corporate Domains explains.
• Replacement strings. Applicants could name a backup string. From October 8 to 21 they could switch to it, but only if the switch did not create or enlarge a contention set.

What happens next, and when

The next steps in the 2026 new gTLD round run well into 2027. ICANN's published timeline:

1. November 17, 2026: String Confirmation Day. ICANN publishes the final list of strings and updated contention sets.
2. November 17, 2026 to March 16, 2027: Community input and objections. Anyone can comment, governments can file early warnings, and rights holders can file objections. The window is extended for ICANN's office closure from December 19 to January 4.
3. November 27, 2026: Last day to withdraw with a 65% fee refund.
4. First half of 2027: Prioritization draw, which sets the order applications are processed in.
5. String evaluation, expected to take about 180 days, with all strings reviewed at the same time.

After that come applicant evaluation, contention resolution, contracts and finally delegation, when a new extension goes live in the root. ICANN has not scheduled those steps. As of this writing (November 7), String Confirmation Day has not happened and we found no later ICANN update on the round. We will update this post when the final list is out.

What it means for domain buyers and brand owners

For domain buyers, the 2026 new gTLD round changes nothing yet. You cannot register a .agent or .hub name today, and anyone selling "pre-registrations" is selling a place in a line that may never open. Expect the first launches in 2027 at the earliest. When they come, most generic strings will follow the usual pattern: a sunrise period for trademark owners, early access at high prices, then general availability.

The 2012 round taught investors to be careful. Most of its extensions never came close to .com, and registry promises to investors did not always hold. We saw that with .CO, whose CEO called investors cybersquatters after courting their money at launch. We also saw registries hold back the best names for their own premium programs, as .ME did with Find.me and Hire.me. Expect the AI strings to price their top names the same way.

For AI founders, this round is worth watching but not waiting for. Today the practical choice is still between .com and a .ai domain, or a cheap .si guard after the .si boom.

For brand owners, the objection window is the part to act on. Check the published list for strings that match or imitate your mark. A legal rights objection, or a comment, has to be filed by March 16, 2027. Once new extensions launch, plan to register your name during sunrise in the ones that fit your industry. Our guide to brandable domain names covers how to pick the names worth protecting.

Frequently asked questions

How many applications were filed in ICANN's 2026 round?

ICANN's Reveal Day snapshot lists 1,615 applications from 481 applicants. 1,663 were submitted, and 1,616 paid the evaluation fee.

When will the new extensions be available to register?

Not before 2027. ICANN has not set dates for evaluation results, contracts or delegation, so no one can give a firm launch date yet.

What is the most contested new gTLD?

.agent, with 13 applications from companies including OpenAI, Meta, Google's registry arm, XYZ.COM and Radix.

How much does it cost to apply for a new gTLD?

The base evaluation fee is $227,000 per application. Contested strings may also end in an ICANN auction, and running a registry costs more on top of that.

Can I object to an application that uses my trademark?

Yes. The community input and objections period runs from November 17, 2026 to March 16, 2027.

Why are there no private auctions this time?

Private resolution was a long-running debate after 2012, when applicants could profit by losing. For 2026 ICANN added restrictions so applicants show a good faith intent to run the extension they apply for.

Takeaways

The 2026 round is the first big expansion of domain extensions in 14 years, and it is shaped by AI the way 2012 was shaped by apps. The numbers are smaller than 2012, the fee is higher and private deals are gone. Mark three dates: November 17, when the final list comes out; November 27, the refund deadline that will show how many applicants give up; and March 16, 2027, the last day to object. Brand owners should check the list now. Investors should wait for real launch terms before spending anything.

References

1. ICANN, "ICANN Reveals 2026 Round Applications for New Generic Top-Level Domains," October 7, 2026. icann.org
2. ICANN, "ICANN Reveals Applications for 2026 Round of New Generic Top-Level Domains" (press release), October 7, 2026. icann.org
3. CircleID, "ICANN Reveals 1,615 Active Applications for 2026 New gTLD Round," October 7, 2026. circleid.com
4. CircleID, "OpenAI, Meta and Registry Operators Seek New gTLDs as .agent Draws 13 Applications," October 7, 2026. circleid.com
5. CircleID, "ICANN Confirms 1,616 Applications Will Proceed in 2026 New gTLD Round," September 23, 2026. circleid.com
6. CaptainDNS, "New gTLD 2026 round: state of play," updated October 10, 2026. captaindns.com
7. GoDaddy Corporate Domains, "Early News and Highlights from the 2026 New gTLD Round," September 2, 2026. gcd.com
8. ICANN, 2026 Round Applicant Guidebook, executive summary. icann.org
9. ICANN, New gTLD Program: 2026 Round. newgtldprogram.icann.org