OpenAI, Google, and Meta are competing for control of the .agent domain extension in ICANN’s first new generic top-level domain application round since 2012. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers revealed 1,615 applications from 481 applicants on October 7, marking a significant expansion of available web naming rights after a 14-year gap.
The .agent extension attracted 13 applicants, making it one of the most contested domains in the round. OpenAI submitted the broadest portfolio, applying for 15 extensions including .agent, .agi, .asi, .gpt, .model, .skill, .voice, and .mcp. Google is competing for .agent and .mcp among other names. Meta is pursuing .agent alongside extensions tied to its artificial intelligence products.
Cryptocurrency and blockchain firms are pursuing their own digital naming rights. The .bit extension drew 11 applications, making it one of the most contested individual names. Five applicants are seeking control of .crypto. Four applications each target .wallet and .dao, while two applications compete for .bitcoin, .btc, and .nft extensions respectively.
Smaller AI companies are also participating. Anthropic applied for only .anthropic and .claude, leaving contested .mcp to other applicants. Seven applicants are seeking .agi, the abbreviation for artificial general intelligence. Five applications target .mcp, the Model Context Protocol abbreviation.
Cryptocurrency Ambitions
Cardano Foundation’s application for .ada advanced to the next stage of ICANN’s process on October 8. Frax Finance disclosed an application for .frax, outlining ambitions to connect internet naming with on-chain ownership, payments, and AI-driven commerce.
Approval of a crypto-related domain would not automatically enable blockchain transactions or wallet functionality without additional technical integrations. Operating a successful top-level domain registry allows a company to manage registrations and collect fees subject to ICANN’s rules.
Application Costs and Precedent
Each standard application carries a $227,000 evaluation fee. The stakes are high: Google’s registry subsidiary paid $25 million to secure .app in ICANN’s 2015 auction, illustrating the potential value of premium domain extensions.
