The .BANK gTLDs will open up much-needed real estate on the Internet, providing new marketing, branding and cross-selling opportunities for the banking community. Eligible institutions will be able to obtain domain name registrations with a .BANK suffix instead of .COM. In addition, fTLD will implement enhanced control systems to mitigate cyber risks from malicious activities over the Internet. For example, registrants will be required to include charter verification by the registrant’s regulator before they can register a domain name in the .BANK gTLD.

The registration system for the .BANK gTLD became available mid-May 2015 for banks with registered trademarks with ICANN’s Trademark Clearing House (TMCH). The figure below illustrates the timeline for obtaining .BANK gTLDs.

Domains will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis in all registration periods. The Qualified Launch Program for Founders period was available for founding members of fTLD that have registered their trademarks in ICANN’s TMCH. The Sunrise period will be available for eligible members of the global banking community that have registered their trademark with ICANN’s TMCH. During the 30-day Sunrise period, banks that meet fTLD’s eligibility requirements will have an advance opportunity, before names are available to other eligible members of the banking community, to register domain names that are exact matches to their registered trademarks. The Founders period will be available to the founding members of fTLD that have yet to register their domains. Eligible members of the global banking community that do not meet the Sunrise or Founders requirements can then register their trademarks, on an ongoing basis, during the General Availability period starting June 24, 2015.

The .BANK gTLD provides new opportunities for marketing, branding and other promotional activities. However, once the Sunrise and Founders periods expire, domain names will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Institutions, therefore, should review their current marketing plan to determine if and when registration of the newly available .BANK domain names is appropriate.

The post New Internet Domain Names for Banks: What You Need to Know Now appeared first on The National Law Forum.

As first reported in our December 2013 newsletter, the first new generic top-level domains (gTLDs, the group of letters after the “dot” in a domain name) have launched their “Sunrise” registration periods.  Please see our December 2013 newsletter for information as to what the Sunrise Period is, and how to become eligible to register a domain name under one of the new gTLDs during this period.

As of the date of this newsletter, Sunrise periods are open for the following new gTLDs:

ICANN maintains an up-to-date list of all open Sunrise periods here.  This list also provides the closing date  of the Sunrise period.  We will endeavor to provide information regarding new gTLD launches via this monthly newsletter, but please refer to the list on ICANN’s website for the most up-to-date information – as the list of approved/launched domains can change daily.

Because new gTLD options will be coming on the market over the next year, brand owners should review the  list of new gTLDs (a full list can be found here) to identify those that are of interest.  

The post Generic Top Level Domains – Current Sunrise Periods Open – August 2014 Update appeared first on The National Law Forum.