A decade in the waiting room
.web was one of the most contested strings of ICANN's 2012 New gTLD Program. In July 2016 it went to an ICANN "last resort" auction, and Nu Dot Co won with a bid of $135 million — at the time the highest price ever paid for a new gTLD. It soon emerged that Verisign, the operator of .com, had funded the bid.
A rival applicant challenged how the deal was handled, and years of independent review proceedings followed. ICANN's gTLD data now shows .web delegated on July 23, 2026, finally putting one of the internet's most obvious words in the root zone.
Good for
- Web agencies, studios and builders
- Generic brands that want an ending everyone understands
Watch out for
- Early launch phases favor trademark holders and premium buyers
- Prices and availability may shift as the registry settles in
.web by the numbers
.web is a generic top-level domain (gTLD), aimed at tech & startups. VeriSign, Inc. runs the registry under a contract with ICANN.
.web is one of the older generic TLDs: ICANN records its delegation as July 23, 2026, long before the 2012 expansion.
VeriSign, Inc. also runs 5 other TLDs, including .com, .comsec, .name, .net and .verisign.
Under the hood, the root zone points to 4 name servers for .web, every one of them reachable over IPv6. The delegation is DNSSEC-signed, so resolvers can verify that answers for .web haven't been tampered with on the way. Registration data is published over RDAP.
Same registry, other endings
5 other TLDs share this operator.
.web FAQ
When did .web launch?
ICANN's records show .web was delegated to the root zone on July 23, 2026, roughly ten years after its 2016 auction.
Why did .web take so long?
The 2016 auction winner, Nu Dot Co, was backed by Verisign. A losing bidder challenged the process through ICANN's accountability mechanisms, and the dispute kept .web out of the root zone for years.
What does .web mean?
.web is a generic top-level domain named for the word "web", and it's aimed at tech & startups. It doesn't belong to any country.
What is .web used for?
.web is mostly used for tech & startups. Like most gTLDs, it's a label of intent rather than a guarantee — check the site, not just the ending.
What country is .web?
None. .web is a generic top-level domain, so it isn't tied to any country.
Who owns the .web domain extension?
VeriSign, Inc. operates .web as its registry, under a registry agreement with ICANN.
Is .web a valid domain?
Yes. .web is an active top-level domain in the DNS root zone, delegated in 2026, so .web addresses work in every browser.
Can I buy a .web domain?
.web names are sold through ICANN-accredited registrars. Some gTLDs restrict who can register, so read VeriSign, Inc.'s policy if you're unsure.
Is .web DNSSEC-signed?
Yes, the root zone holds a DS record for .web.
Sources
Data from IANA root zone version 2026102000. Last changed October 21, 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
