Turning Internet-Wide Data into Better New gTLD Decisions

Introducing New gTLD Intelligence Services (NGIS): The intelligence layer for New gTLD applicants, brand protection professionals, and the ICANN community.

Author:
Ching Chiao, Head of APAC & Corporate Development, Whois API, Inc.

As the ICANN community prepares for the next New gTLD application window, set to open in April 2026, one thing is already clear. This round will be far more data-driven than the last.

In 2012, many New gTLD decisions were shaped by marketing narratives, forward-looking projections, and limited historical evidence. Since then, the domain name ecosystem has matured. Registries, governments, brand owners, and evaluators now have access to years of operational, DNS, and abuse data that did not exist during the first round.

For the 2026 program, critical steps such as string selection, public comment periods, formal objections, and GAC advice will increasingly rely on objective, defensible evidence rather than subjective interpretation. Stakeholders are expected to justify positions with data.

This shift reflects a broader expectation across the community. Different stages of the application process raise different questions, from early feasibility and risk assessment to later scrutiny around confusion and public interest.

That shift is what led us to build New gTLD Intelligence Services (NGIS).

What Is NGIS?

NGIS is a specialized intelligence capability built on WhoisXML API’s Internet-wide data repository, including:

• Tens of billions of historical domain registration records
• Comprehensive DNS and infrastructure data
• More than 15 years of observed abuse and misuse signals
  

NGIS is designed for New gTLD applicants, advisors, legal counsel, registry service providers (RSPs), brand protection teams, and public-sector stakeholders. Its purpose is straightforward. It replaces assumptions with evidence.

Instead of stating that a string feels promising or risky, NGIS allows stakeholders to show how similar strings have behaved historically across registrations, usage patterns, and abuse exposure using verifiable data. NGIS is delivered as a collection of focused datasets, reports, and analysis tools that can be applied at different stages of the New gTLD lifecycle.

The same data can also support evaluators, objectors, and observers who need a consistent factual reference when assessing claims made during the process.

How Data Shapes the 2026 Application Process

The upcoming Applicant Guidebook introduces stricter evaluation and scrutiny at multiple points. NGIS is designed to support these moments with a consistent data foundation.

Pre-application risk assessment

Before committing to the $227,000 application fee, applicants need to evaluate string similarity, potential collisions, and historical abuse exposure. NGIS provides string-level risk snapshots that surface how comparable terms have been used across the DNS. This helps applicants select and defend a string with greater confidence.

String Confusion Objections

In objection proceedings, visual or semantic similarity cannot rest on opinion alone. NGIS supports confusion exposure analysis using registration density, cross-TLD usage patterns, and algorithmic similarity measures to assess the likelihood of real-world confusion.

GAC and public-interest scrutiny

Certain strings will attract heightened attention from governments and public-interest bodies. NGIS provides neutral baseline data on historical abuse and misuse. This enables applicants to draft Public Interest Commitments (PICs) that reflect observed risk rather than speculation.

A Neutral Data Foundation for the Community

NGIS does not advocate for specific strings, applicants, or policy outcomes. Its role is to provide a shared, neutral reference point grounded in Internet-wide data that stakeholders can use to support their own evaluations and decisions. 

Also, NGIS is not expected to replace expert judgment or policy interpretation. It provides a factual baseline that makes discussions more transparent, comparable, and evidence-based.

As the 2026 New gTLD program progresses, success will depend less on bold claims and more on the ability to demonstrate responsibility, risk awareness, and public-interest alignment using evidence that others can verify.

Moving beyond conjecture is no longer optional. Data is becoming the common language of the New gTLD process, and NGIS is built to support that shift.

Learn more about New gTLD Intelligence Services and how data can support your specific role in the 2026 application process.