Domain Names and Brand Protection for Software Companies

Short answer: if you run a software company, the 2026 expansion of the domain name system is mostly a brand-protection question, not a marketing one. ICANN has opened its first new generic top-level domain (gTLD) application round in over a decade, including domains in non-Latin scripts, and the practical move for most vendors is to protect their trademarks, not to chase new extensions.

Years ago I wrote a short post when ICANN (the group that manages naming conventions on the internet) first announced that domain names would be allowed in non-Latin languages. At the time it felt exotic. Today, internationalized domain names in Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, and other scripts are ordinary, and the bigger story has moved on. Here is what actually matters now, from the perspective of a software attorney who only represents software and SaaS vendors.

What Actually Changed in 2026.

On April 30, 2026, ICANN opened the application window for its New gTLD Program, the first new round in more than ten years, and it closes August 12, 2026. Two things stand out. First, the round accepts gTLD applications in 27 different scripts, so the non-Latin domain story has gone from “coming someday” to live. Second, for the first time in over a decade, organizations can apply to run their own .brand top-level domain, meaning a company could operate web addresses ending in its own name rather than .com. That last part is realistically only for large, well-resourced brands, the application and operating costs run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, but the ripple effects reach everyone.

Is This an Issue for a Software Company?

For most vendors, you are not applying for a new gTLD. The real exposure is not missing out, it is someone registering your brand somewhere new and using it against you. Every expansion of the domain space creates fresh room for cybersquatting, lookalike domains, and phishing that impersonates your company. So the question is not “should I buy a clever new extension,” it is “is my brand protected as the namespace grows.” For the small number of companies genuinely planning a non-Latin presence or a .brand strategy, the round is worth real attention, and you should be talking to counsel now while the window is open.

How to Protect Your Brand.

The mechanics are straightforward and worth doing before the new extensions launch:

• Register your trademark. Brand protection in domains runs on trademark rights. Without a registration, most of the protective tools below are not available to you.
• Record marks in the Trademark Clearinghouse. The ICANN Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) is the central database that powers sunrise registrations and trademark-claims notices in new gTLDs. Recording your mark lets you register early in a new extension and get alerted when someone else tries to.
• Watch for conflicting applications. Even if you are not applying, monitor the published applications. A conflicting gTLD or a string close to your brand may justify a timely objection, and the objection windows are short.
• Use UDRP when someone squats. If a bad actor registers a domain using your mark, the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) through WIPO is usually faster and cheaper than litigation for getting it transferred or cancelled.

The Practical Move.

For nearly every software company I work with, the answer is not to chase the new extensions, it is to get the defensive basics right: register your core trademarks, record them in the TMCH, make a short list of the domains worth defensively registering, and set up monitoring so you find out about abuse early. Spend your domain budget on protecting the brand you have, not collecting extensions you will never use. It is the same control instinct behind the trademark rules you set for your resellers, and part of the broader IP toolkit every software company should understand.

Frequently Asked Questions.

Should my software company apply for a new gTLD? Almost certainly not. A .brand application costs hundreds of thousands of dollars and suits only large brands. For everyone else this round is about defense, not acquisition.

What is the single most important step? Register your core trademark and record it in the Trademark Clearinghouse. Most domain-protection tools, including sunrise registration and claims notices, depend on having a registered mark on file.

Someone registered a domain using my brand. What now? A UDRP proceeding through WIPO is usually faster and cheaper than a lawsuit to get the domain transferred or cancelled, provided you hold trademark rights in the name.

I hope this helps. If you are weighing a .brand application or a non-Latin rollout before the August window closes, that is a conversation worth having now.

Resources:

Software Attorney: Vendor-Side Representation

Contact Aber Law Firm

Disclaimer:

This post is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not legal advice. You should hire an attorney if you need legal advice, which should be provided only after review of all relevant facts and applicable law.