2026 Domain Extension Market Overview

The domain extension (TLD) market is rapidly evolving. While .com's dominance continues, new extensions are growing fast.

As of 2026: Over 375 million domains registered worldwide, and new gTLDs grew 21% to reach 42.9 million.

Major Market Changes

Traditional TLDs (.com, .net, .org):

.com: 157.2-159 million (still most popular)
Growth slowing (saturation)
Limited availability

New gTLDs (.io, .ai, .tech, etc.):

21% increase in 2024
Expected to surpass 50 million in 2026
Rapidly increasing acceptance

#1: .com - The Unchanged King

Registrations: 157.2-159 million Growth Rate: Slowing (saturated) Trust: ★★★★★

Why Still #1?

Verified Statistics:

Over 62% of VC-backed startups use .com
Over 90% of $100M+ startups started with .com
46% of small businesses say .com increases credibility

Pros

Highest recognition and trust
Global standard
Preferred by investors/customers
High brand value

Cons

Most names already registered
Premium pricing ($1,000-$1M+)
Difficult for new brands

Recommended For

B2C businesses
Global expansion plans
Traditional industries
Investment fundraising

#2: .ai - Symbol of AI Revolution

Registrations: 598,000+ (mid-2025) Growth Rate: ★★★★★ (4x in 3 years) Trend: 🔥🔥🔥

Explosive Growth Reasons

AI Boom:

Post-ChatGPT AI company surge
.ai = unofficial badge of "AI company"
Preferred by tech investors

Success Cases

Notable .ai domains:

OpenAI.com → AI.com (premium)
Stability.ai (Stable Diffusion)
Anthropic.com → Claude.ai service
Perplexity.ai (AI search)

Pros

Instantly communicates AI/ML company
Increased investor interest
Excellent branding effect
Relatively high availability

Cons

Unsuitable for non-AI industries
May fluctuate with trends
Lower recognition than .com

Recommended For

AI/ML startups
Data analytics companies
Automation solutions
Chatbot/conversational AI

#3: .io - Tech Startup Choice

Registrations: 1M+ (mid-2025) Growth Rate: ★★★★☆ Popularity: Top in tech industry

Tech Community Favorite

"Input/Output" Association:

Popular among developers and tech community
"Tech company" image
Silicon Valley startup preference

Success Cases

Famous .io domains:

GitHub.io (GitHub Pages)
Socket.io (real-time library)
Itch.io (indie game platform)
Render.io (cloud platform)

Pros

High recognition in tech industry
Higher availability than .com
Short and memorable
Developer-friendly

Cons

May be unfamiliar to general public
Unsuitable for B2C business
Pricing approaching .com

Recommended For

SaaS startups
Developer tools
API services
Cloud platforms

#4: .dev - Developer-Exclusive

Registrations: Rapid growth Growth Rate: ★★★★☆ Google-owned: HTTPS required

Google's Strategic TLD

Features:

Owned and operated by Google
HTTPS mandatory (security first)
Targets developer community

Success Cases

Major .dev domains:

Firebase.dev (Google)
Web.dev (Google)
Angular.dev (Angular official)
Svelte.dev (Svelte framework)

Pros

Clearly communicates developer tool
Google reliability
HTTPS default (SEO advantage)
High availability

Cons

HTTPS setup required (challenging for beginners)
Unsuitable for non-developer industries
Relatively new TLD

Recommended For

Developer tools
Frameworks/libraries
Developer blogs
Open source projects

#5: .tech - Tech Company Identity

Registrations: Fast growth Growth Rate: ★★★★☆ Pricing: Reasonable

Clear Signal for Tech Industry

Features:

Intuitive expression of "Technology"
Covers broad tech industry
Affordable pricing

Pros

Instantly communicates tech company
Wide applicability
Price competitive
High availability

Cons

Lower recognition than .com/.io
Can feel generic

Recommended For

Tech startups overall
IT consulting
Tech media
Innovation companies

#6-10: Quick Overview

#6: .app - Mobile/Web Apps

Google-owned, HTTPS required
Perfect for apps

#7: .co - Strong .com Alternative

"Company" interpretation
High global acceptance

#8: .xyz - New Generation Choice

Very affordable ($1-2/year)
High availability

#9: .online - Online Business

Clear meaning
Affordable pricing

#10: .store/.shop - E-commerce Dedicated

Instantly communicates shopping
E-commerce platform support

Industry-Specific TLD Recommendations

Tech Startups

.io (top priority)
.ai (AI-related)
.dev (dev tools)
.tech
.com (if possible)

AI/ML Companies

.ai (essential)
.io
.tech
.com

Mobile/Web Apps

.app (top priority)
.io
.com

E-commerce

.com (top priority)
.store
.shop
.co

Developer Tools

.dev (top priority)
.io
.com

General Business

.com (top priority)
.co
.online

2026 TLD Trend Predictions

Trend 1: Continued New gTLD Growth

Data:

Expected to surpass 50 million in 2026
Currently 42.9 million (Q3 2025)
Maintaining 21% growth rate

Meaning:

Increasing acceptance of non-.com TLDs
Expanding choices
Growth of industry-specific TLDs

Trend 2: ICANN 2026 Application Round

Important Date:

April 30, 2026 application opening
First round since 2012
Expected surge of new TLDs

Expected Impact:

Increase in company/city-specific TLDs
Expansion of brand TLDs
Diversification of niche TLDs

Trend 3: Industry Specialization Acceleration

Expected Growth TLDs:

.ai (continued AI boom)
.web3 (blockchain)
.crypto (cryptocurrency)
.nft (NFT market)
.green (ESG/environment)

Trend 4: .com Premiumization

Phenomenon:

Good .com prices surging
Active premium domain market
Accelerated migration to alternative TLDs

Response:

Actively consider alternative TLDs
Find .com through creative naming
Invest in premium if necessary

TLD Selection Guide

Question 1: Who is the service for?

B2C:

.com top priority
.co alternative
.online, .store (e-commerce)

B2B:

.com preferred
.io (tech)
.ai (AI)

Developers:

.dev, .io top priority
.com secondary

Question 2: What industry?

AI/ML: → .ai (essential)

Tech Startups: → .io or .tech

E-commerce: → .com or .store

Dev Tools: → .dev or .io

General: → .com or .co

Question 3: Budget?

Limited ($1-10/year):

.xyz
.online
.site

Reasonable ($10-50/year):

.tech
.store
.app

Sufficient ($50-500/year):

Premium ($500+):

.com (good names)
Premium marketplaces

Conclusion: Era of Diversity

Core of 2026 domain extension market:

.com is still king, but now there are strong challengers to the throne.

Verified Statistics:

New gTLDs: 21% growth
.ai: 4x growth in 3 years
2026: 50 million new gTLD expected

Smart Choices:

Secure .com if possible (especially B2C)
Actively use industry-specific TLDs (.ai, .io, .dev)
Protect brand by securing multiple TLDs
Monitor trends but focus on essentials

Domain extensions are the start of your brand but don't guarantee success. Product quality and execution are the true keys to success.

Sources:

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