The Domain Name System of the Internet consists of a set of top-level domains that constitute the root domain of the hierarchical name space and database. In the growth of the Internet, it became desirable to expand the initial set of six generic top-level domains in 1984. As a result, new top-level domain names have been proposed for implementation by ICANN. Such proposals included a variety of models ranging from the adoption of policies for unrestricted gTLDs that could be registered by anyone for any purpose, to chartered gTLDs for specialized uses by specialized organizations. In October 2000, ICANN published a list of proposals for top-level domain strings it had received.
The following ccTLDs (country code top-level domains) have been requested using a procedure known as the Internationalized Domain Name (or IDN) ccTLD Fast Track Process.
The following countries have national languages that use other scripts than Latin but have no internationalized country code top-level domain, and none proposed in the above list:
These proposals are centered on creating an independent Internet identity for linguistic and cultural communities. They are mostly inspired by the success of the domain created for websites in the Catalan language or about the Catalan culture.
In addition to traditional ICANN-regulated proposals, several projects have introduced top-level domains that operate on decentralized networks rather than the Domain Name System (DNS). These so-called Web3 or blockchain domains use distributed ledgers or smart contracts to register and resolve names, independent of ICANN governance.
Several Web3 registrars, such as Freename, Unstoppable Domains, and the Ethereum Name Service, have marketed blockchain-based top-level domains that mimic or extend conventional naming conventions. One example is the proposed .prompt domain, associated with Freename, which was mentioned in industry press following a United States intent-to-use trademark filing in August 2025. Although such Web3 domains function outside the DNS root, their growing visibility has prompted discussion about potential coexistence or conflict between decentralized naming systems and ICANN-governed namespaces.