https://domgate.com/newsRegistry changes, new extensions, events and brand protection: what Domgate sees in the world of country code domains.enMon, 02 Nov 2026 07:00:00 +0000https://domgate.com/news/october-2026-country-domains-round-uphttps://domgate.com/news/october-2026-country-domains-round-upMon, 02 Nov 2026 07:00:00 +0000In October 2026, Austria began checking .at holder data under NIS2, Qatar planned to require a local entity or trademark for .qa, ICANN revealed 1,615 new gTLD applications and adopted a policy for internationalized country domains, and country codes reached 151.4 million names.https://domgate.com/news/country-domains-q3-2026-figureshttps://domgate.com/news/country-domains-q3-2026-figuresFri, 30 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000Country-code domains ended the third quarter of 2026 with 151.4 million registrations, up 4.6% in a year, according to the Domain Name Industry Brief. That is more than a third of the 411.6 million names registered worldwide, spread across 309 country extensions, with .cn, .de and .uk the largest.https://domgate.com/news/icann87-bali-takeaways-country-domainshttps://domgate.com/news/icann87-bali-takeaways-country-domainsThu, 29 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000ICANN87 in Bali ended on 22 October 2026 with the ICANN Board adopting the ccNSO policy for internationalized country domains, and governments asking for safeguards and earlier checks on registration data before the 2026 new gTLD round opens to objections on 17 November 2026.https://domgate.com/news/cybersecurity-awareness-month-five-domain-settingshttps://domgate.com/news/cybersecurity-awareness-month-five-domain-settingsWed, 28 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000October 2026 is Cybersecurity Awareness Month in the US and European Cybersecurity Month in the EU. Before it ends, check five settings on every company domain: the transfer lock; the holder’s contacts, subject to NIS2 verification for .at since 1 October; who receives expiry notices; DNSSEC; and SPF and DMARC, even on domains that send no email.https://domgate.com/news/ly-domain-short-links-libyahttps://domgate.com/news/ly-domain-short-links-libyaTue, 20 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0000Libya’s .ly became the address of short links after bit.ly launched on 8 July 2008. Since a transfer IANA reported on 30 October 2025, it has been managed by Libya’s General Authority of Communications and Informatics. Foreign holders can register names of four characters or more, under rules the registry has used to delete a name over its website’s content.https://domgate.com/news/lk-domains-domgate-first-epp-registrarhttps://domgate.com/news/lk-domains-domgate-first-epp-registrarFri, 16 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0000Sri Lanka’s LK Domain Registry has welcomed Domgate as the first registrar to connect to its EPP service, the standard protocol registrars use to register and manage names in a registry’s database. Brand owners, resellers and registrars can register .lk, .com.lk and the other open second levels through Domgate, under the registry’s own rules and its review of every new name.https://domgate.com/news/qa-domains-qatari-entity-or-trademark-requiredhttps://domgate.com/news/qa-domains-qatari-entity-or-trademark-requiredThu, 15 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0000From the launch of the new TLD .QA registry system, planned for 22 October 2026, Qatar’s TLD .QA will follow the .com.qa eligibility rule: a new .qa name will need, for example, a Qatari entity or a Qatari trademark. Until then, anyone can register a .qa name. Names registered before the launch keep renewing automatically, but any change to their registration details brings the new rule. Any changes here means any contact update or nameservers update.https://domgate.com/news/free-whois-punycode-zone-check-toolshttps://domgate.com/news/free-whois-punycode-zone-check-toolsWed, 14 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0000Since 2 October 2026, domgate.com has offered a free whois lookup and a Punycode converter, joined on 6 October by a DNS zone check. All three work without an account and in ten languages: they show who manages a domain and when it expires, convert xn-- names, and test name servers, SPF, DMARC and DNSSEC.https://domgate.com/news/saudi-arabia-joins-madrid-systemhttps://domgate.com/news/saudi-arabia-joins-madrid-systemMon, 12 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0000Since 8 October 2026, brand owners can designate Saudi Arabia in an international trademark application under WIPO’s Madrid System, or add it to an existing international registration. Saudi Arabia charges CHF 1,397 per class and has 18 months to refuse protection. Under SaudiNIC’s rules, a trademark registered in Saudi Arabia is one ground for registering .sa domains.https://domgate.com/news/new-gtld-reveal-day-check-your-brandhttps://domgate.com/news/new-gtld-reveal-day-check-your-brandFri, 09 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0000ICANN published the 1,615 applications of its 2026 new gTLD round on 7 October 2026, 333 of them for .brand domains, on a public website that needs no login. Applicants can switch to back-up strings until 21 October 2026, the final list follows on 17 November 2026, and trademark objections can be filed with WIPO until 16 March 2027.https://domgate.com/news/ee-domain-reservation-estonian-business-registerhttps://domgate.com/news/ee-domain-reservation-estonian-business-registerThu, 08 Oct 2026 08:12:00 +0000On 7 October 2026, the Estonian Internet Foundation announced two services it added with RIK to the e-Business Register: founders can reserve up to 20 available .ee names at no cost for seven days from the company’s entry in the register, or book any number for a year at €10 plus VAT each, then register them through an accredited registrar.https://domgate.com/news/from-ai-to-si-the-new-domain-rushhttps://domgate.com/news/from-ai-to-si-the-new-domain-rushTue, 29 Sep 2026 13:43:00 +0000Slovenia's .si has become the domain of the “Super Intelligence” moment: registrations reportedly overtook .ai within a day of the 22 September UN speech. Open to anyone, with no local presence needed, .si is a name brand owners should secure before the rush.https://domgate.com/news/domgate-at-apnic-62-connecting-with-the-internet-communityhttps://domgate.com/news/domgate-at-apnic-62-connecting-with-the-internet-communityMon, 14 Sep 2026 10:41:00 +0000APNIC 62, held in Mumbai from 4–10 September 2026, brought together Internet and networking experts, government representatives, industry leaders, registries, and technical professionals from around the world.https://domgate.com/news/ru-domain-identification-requirements-what-registrants-should-knowhttps://domgate.com/news/ru-domain-identification-requirements-what-registrants-should-knowTue, 01 Sep 2026 09:14:00 +0000New regulatory requirements for .ru, .рф, and .su domains are being introduced in Russia under Federal Law No. 569-FZ, bringing changes to how Domain registrants will be identified and how Domains can be managed.https://domgate.com/news/qa-domain-build-your-digital-presence-in-qatarhttps://domgate.com/news/qa-domain-build-your-digital-presence-in-qatarMon, 17 Aug 2026 11:52:00 +0000The .qa domain is the country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Qatar. It provides businesses and organizations with a clear digital connection to the Qatari market and can be particularly valuable for companies looking…https://domgate.com/news/a-complete-guide-to-ru-local-presence-serviceshttps://domgate.com/news/a-complete-guide-to-ru-local-presence-servicesThu, 06 Aug 2026 17:56:00 +0000As new registry requirements for .RU domain names come into effect, foreign individuals and companies without a legal presence in Russia will be required to appoint a Local Presence (Trustee) to register or continue…https://domgate.com/news/important-ru-domains-restricted-to-local-registrants-from-september-1-2026https://domgate.com/news/important-ru-domains-restricted-to-local-registrants-from-september-1-2026Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:14:00 +0000With new regulations taking effect on September 1, 2026, foreign registrants of .RU, .РФ, and .SU domains will be required to comply with stricter identity verification and local presence requirements. To support…https://domgate.com/news/denmarks-dk-domain-management-is-moving-to-a-shared-registry-modelhttps://domgate.com/news/denmarks-dk-domain-management-is-moving-to-a-shared-registry-modelWed, 17 Jun 2026 10:48:00 +0000Denmark’s .dk domain ecosystem is undergoing an important change. From July 1, 2026, all new .dk domain registrations, renewals, and payments must be managed through accredited registrars and resellers rather than…https://domgate.com/news/icann86-seville-cctlds-community-focus-areas-policy-driven-summaryhttps://domgate.com/news/icann86-seville-cctlds-community-focus-areas-policy-driven-summaryFri, 12 Jun 2026 10:23:00 +0000The ICANN86 Policy Forum in Seville brought the global Internet governance community together to focus on practical, operational, and policy issues shaping the future of the DNS. For the ccTLD ecosystem, the discussions…https://domgate.com/news/record-breaking-domain-name-disputes-highlight-the-need-for-stronger-brand-protectionhttps://domgate.com/news/record-breaking-domain-name-disputes-highlight-the-need-for-stronger-brand-protectionFri, 05 Jun 2026 14:52:00 +0000The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) reported a record-breaking year for domain name disputes in 2025, handling more than 6,200 cases—the highest annual caseload in its history. Over the past 25 years…