In this article we will talk about what new TLDs have to offer us as well as if it’s possible to get anonymous registration for such domains and what risks owners facing getting a non-generic domain extension. If you have already got your domain registered, you might want to read our article on “How to host website anonymously and pay with Bitcoin” since it can help to find the safe place to host.
Definitions
What’s that all about? Generic? New? TLDs? Let’s start from the beginning. TLD stands for top level domain. This is what comes straight after the dot in the domain name. For example, www.icann.org where .ORG is a TLD or domain’s extension. When we talk generic .tld we mean some of the most common extensions, like .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz and some more. Back in 2000 generic .tld were the only ones to exists, then in 2012 New .TLDs started to appear. Some of them are even considered generic now, like .XYZ and .club.
Advantages of new TLDs
The pros of such domains are pretty straight forward. When such new TLD appears, usually the price for it is very cheap, like .XYZ had .99 cents registration price 10 years ago. Another advantage is that many name are available including 3-chars names. Of course, many names are reserved but still you have many more options comparing to old generic extensions.
Risks
Of course with the low price come some cons. The first one is low trust – all people know .com, but they can be hesitant about visiting .online or .best. But even more concerning is that many new TLDs attract new registrants with low prices and then drastically increase them when it comes to renewal. People do not want to lose well-established domains and has to agree to this unethical behavior. For instance extensions like .hosting, .diet, .audio used to cost $10 during registration and now their owners are forced to pay from $100 to $300 for renewals.
Anonymous registrations
Some extensions does not allow anonymous registration, like .us. And registry can put domain on hold if they find privacy protection enabled. But most of the .tlds including new ones can be registered anonymously. Even if privacy protection is not allowed, it can be registered to an intermediary company which will act like a whois shield. In the latter case, make sure you choose a trusted company with the long track record and reputation.
