Unstoppable Domains Abandons TLD Plans Over ICANN Integration Rules

Unstoppable Domains has canceled its plans to apply for nine top-level domains (TLDs) after an ICANN technical working group suggested a complex framework for integrating real DNS TLDs with web3 naming systems. The company had previously offered each of the TLDs as alt-root, blockchain-based domains.

The proposed integration rules would require every name in an integrated namespace to be registered in the DNS and paid for, which Unstoppable Domains deemed unacceptable. This would force millions of existing web3 names to be registered in the DNS, including those bought by users for on-chain use only.

Unstoppable is not entirely out of the TLD game, however. The company is still involved with five applications and will offer refunds to people who registered web3 names matching the canceled TLDs after it announced its plans to apply for them.