<.bank> - A New gTLD Targeting the Financial Sector

The industry-related generic Top-Level Domain ("gTLD") <.bank> provides new opportunities and new challenges for online activities in the financial services sector.

New gTLDs are Shaping the Internet

Many new generic Top-Level Domains were launched during the course of 2014, allowing the registration of domain names under a variety of Top-Level Domains, in particular industry-related ones, such as <.shop>, <.restaurant> or <.photography>. As per the end of 2014, almost 3.7 million new Sub-Level domain names have been delegated under such new gTLDs.

Sub-Level domain names under the gTLD <.bank> will soon also become available, a development that appears to be of particular interest for the banking sector, as it will allow domain names such as <[Yourbrand].bank> or <.Yourproduct.bank>. The <.bank> domain names are currently expected to become available in June 2015, preceded by a "sunrise period" (i.e. a preferred upfront delegation of domain names to owners of