New gTLDs, Same Old Problem: Standing Out in the Domain Market

Launching a new top level domain (TLD) today means entering an extremely competitive market. Since ICANN opened the door to hundreds of new generic TLDs in the 2012 application round, the domain landscape has expanded dramatically. Competition consists of not only legacy extensions like .com, but hundreds of other specialized top level domains, each attempting to capture attention, registrations, and long-term relevance. Now we have a second round of gTLD applications about to begin in April 2026, and the challenge is clear: how do you stand out in a crowded field where everyone offers the same fundamental product?

The Reality of the Modern TLD Market

Within the domain industry, we believe there’s room for every namespace and TLD. But regardless of niche or extension, all domain names do the same thing. Because the underlying functionality is largely standardized, TLDs compete primarily on branding and pricing. With over 1,500 competing extensions, though, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. To narrow it down even further, .com, .net, and .org combined have captured 42% of the market, leaving a little over half for the rest of us to share. 

As a result, registry operators are exploring ways to increase the utility of TLDs to capture market share. In practice, enhancing functional utility in a product increases its longevity in the market, leads to higher ROI, and improves customer satisfaction. Top level domains are a product that have been largely stagnant in innovation- but that’s not without trying. Registries have been pushing the boundaries of marketing since day one to overcome competition. There have been some winners, but unfortunately, the real revenue-driving innovation has been isolated to the registrar side of the business with products like AI website builders, not to mention the expensive marketing campaigns that are out of reach for registries.

It may sound bleak for the new TLDs hitting the market in a few short years, but in reality, they may be the lucky ones due to the technical evolution that’s underway.

The Growing Need for Digital Identity

In 2014, the Bitcoin blockchain was only a few years old and still trying to find its way. Meanwhile, the domain industry was busy focusing on launching new gTLDs, not blockchain technology. But now, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and countless other blockchains make up the growing Web3 ecosystem. Digital identity, a foundational component to Web3, is becoming increasingly important, presenting a whole new opportunity that registries need to pay attention to.

Users today manage multiple accounts, wallets, usernames, and authentication methods across different platforms. This fragmentation has created growing interest in digital identity systems that give users more control over how they represent themselves online. Web3 and blockchain technology has introduced a new approach that’s catching on: self-sovereign digital identity, where users maintain ownership of credentials and identifying data through decentralized infrastructure. This is a principle concept of Web3. Individual ownership means each user needs a digital identity, and .tlds can help fill that gap if they have the right infrastructure.

How gTLDs Can Capture the Opportunity

Domain registrars are perfectly positioned to capture the Web3 digital identity market, which is great news for .tlds hitting the market. ICANN and the community have carefully built DNS from the ground up, and extending that knowledge into new Web3 namespaces is the logical next step.

Orange Domains is deeply integrated in Web3 communities and has a vision of what this next step should look like. Rather than replacing or altering DNS, Web3 digital identity solutions should work alongside DNS. Digital identity that’s anchored to DNS can benefit from the security and protections of the system, while also maintaining full sovereignty on Web3. The blend of the two platforms transforms a traditional domain into a digital identity that can function as:

• A digital wallet address
• A human-readable identifier
• A cross-platform username
• A portable identity 

Building a digital identity solution from scratch is out of the question for most registries. It can be hard enough to simply launch a .tld! Minting as a Service (MaaS) provides the underlying technology needed to associate domain names with blockchain-based digital identities. MaaS was designed with registries, registrars, and customers in mind. Customers get a user-friendly experience (and potentially rewards like Bitcoin), registrars have zero integration requirements, and registries maintain full control over their .tld and namespace. MaaS brings these elements together so .tlds can add true enhanced utility to their product. It’s worthwhile, too. The Web3 market, which includes blockchain layers, applications, exchanges, and other services, is projected to hit almost $30 billion in 2031.

Launch with More Than a Marketing Strategy

The domain industry has always evolved alongside the broader internet. From .com and .net to hundreds of gTLD choices, each phase has introduced new possibilities for how domain names can be used. For new registry operators entering the space in the next round of gTLDs, the question may no longer be just what .tld you offer, but what that .tld can do. Luckily for new gTLDs, the growing Web3 market and the MaaS digital identity solution can help new .tlds overcome the difficulties of launching into a competitive landscape, all while adding true value and utility to a product that is long overdue for an update.