GoDaddy Loses .us Registry Contract to Identity Digital as ICANN Nears gTLD Reveal Day
Registry power shifts dominate: GoDaddy loses .us to Identity Digital, ICANN nears gTLD Reveal Day, .bank's CEO retires, and .my's junk drop contracts volume while .si speculation swells.[10][3][6][8]
- 16%September registration decline.my ccTLD (MYNIC)
- 16 yearsTenure before retirementfTLD CEO Craig Schwartz
- 36Platinum expired-domain sales trackedMonday's auction roundup
Key takeaways
- GoDaddy is set to lose the .us ccTLD registry contract to Identity Digital after a lengthy NTIA bidding process.[10]
- ICANN will reveal the full new gTLD applicant list on Reveal Day Wednesday, with an ICA webinar offering analysis the next day.[3]
- Verisign applied for .pki as a new top-level domain and unveiled a new offering called Verisign Informed.[1]
- fTLD Registry Services is searching for a new CEO after Craig Schwartz's 16-year run atop .bank and .insurance.[6]
- .my registrations fell about 16% in September as a year-old promotion's junk drop hit the zone.[8]
- Interest in .si spiked after a US executive order pushed 'Super Intelligence' terminology over 'Artificial Intelligence.'[7]
Today in domains
This edition traces one thread: registry control is changing hands, from the .us ccTLD moving to Identity Digital to .bank's executive suite losing its longtime CEO, just as ICANN prepares to reveal who is vying for the next wave of gTLDs.[10][6][3]
.us Registry Transition and GoDaddy's Shifting Footprint
The US NTIA has awarded the .us ccTLD registry contract to Identity Digital, ending GoDaddy Registry's long run managing the string after a lengthy bidding process. DomainIncite reports that new contractual terms accompanying the handover could put some existing registrants and registrars at risk during the transition, with full migration details yet to be published. The loss lands alongside separate chatter in Domain Name Wire's weekly top-five roundup about a possible takeover of GoDaddy itself, mentioned alongside unrelated items on .si traffic and IONOS layoffs. Losing a ccTLD contract while facing acquisition speculation leaves registrars and resellers who rely on GoDaddy's .us book watching for clarity on both fronts before planning renewals or transfers.[10][4]
New gTLD Reveal Day Approaches, Verisign Stakes a Claim
ICANN will publish the full list of new gTLD applicants and the resulting contention sets on Reveal Day this Wednesday, with the Internet Commerce Association hosting a free webinar Thursday for expert analysis of replacement strings and contested applications. Verisign used the run-up to announce a new offering called Verisign Informed while separately applying for .pki as a top-level domain, signaling intent to compete in the next expansion round even as it continues managing .com and .net.[3][1]
.bank Registry Searches for a Successor
fTLD Registry Services, operator of the restricted .bank and .insurance gTLDs, has opened a search for a new president and CEO after Craig Schwartz confirmed plans to retire following 16 years leading the registry. The transition affects two of the industry's most tightly regulated namespaces, where registrant eligibility verification and bank-or-insurer-only enforcement depend heavily on registry leadership continuity.[6]
Registry Volume Swings: .my Contracts, .si Speculation Grows
MYNIC's .my registrations fell this past September, a junk drop the registry attributed to a promotion from a year earlier working its way out of the zone, equivalent to roughly one domain in six leaving the registry. In contrast, interest in Slovenia's .si has surged after a US executive order told federal agencies to use 'Super Intelligence' (SI) instead of 'Artificial Intelligence' (AI), a coincidence commentary has dismissed as a distraction rather than durable demand. Together the two moves show ccTLD volumes can swing on promotional cycles or acronym overlaps as easily as on genuine registrant interest.[8][7]
| August 2026 | 826,384 |
| September 2026 | 693,122 |
Monthly .my domain count, MYNIC
Auction Market Snapshot
Monday's auction roundup tracked 36 two-word 'Platinum' expired-domain sales alongside listings from Dynadot, NameJet, Sedo, Catched, NamePros and GoDaddy. The following day's recap covered closeout results across Dynadot, Catched and GoDaddy for names including diana.org, stringent.com, teinteresa.es and mega.me, rounding out two days of active secondary-market turnover ahead of the week's registry news.[9][2]
Briefly noted
- DNW Podcast #606: Episode 606 of the Domain Name Wire Podcast discussed themes the hosts framed as democratization, compression and delegation in the domain industry.[5]
What to watch
Oct 7ICANN gTLD Reveal Day Wednesday's reveal will show who applied for which new strings and how contention sets have formed, setting up Thursday's free ICA webinar breaking down the list.[3]
.us migration terms still unclear DomainIncite flagged that new contractual terms accompanying Identity Digital's takeover could affect some existing registrants and registrars; the transition timeline and safeguards have not yet been detailed.[10]
fTLD successor search opens Whoever succeeds Craig Schwartz will set .bank and .insurance's verification and enforcement priorities for the registry's next chapter.[6]
Dates and launches
LACNIC 46 - October 5-9, 2026Event
.phone sunriseSunrise
SecTor 2026Event
2026 AIPPI World CongressEvent
Les Assises de la CybersécuritéEvent
DCD Connect India 2026Event
Questions investors are asking
Why is GoDaddy losing the .us ccTLD contract?
The US NTIA completed a lengthy bidding process and awarded .us registry operation to Identity Digital, ending GoDaddy Registry's run managing the ccTLD. DomainIncite reports new contractual terms could put some existing registrants and registrars at risk during the handover, though full migration details have not yet been published.[10]
What happens on ICANN's new gTLD Reveal Day?
ICANN will publish the full list of entities and strings applied for in the new gTLD round, including replacement strings and contention sets, letting applicants and observers see for the first time who is competing for which strings.[3]
What is Verisign Informed and why did Verisign apply for .pki?
Verisign announced a new offering called Verisign Informed and simultaneously applied for the .pki top-level domain, positioning itself around public-key-infrastructure and trust-related naming ahead of the next gTLD expansion round.[1]
Why is fTLD Registry Services looking for a new CEO?
Longtime president and CEO Craig Schwartz announced plans to retire after 16 years running fTLD, the operator of the restricted .bank and .insurance gTLDs, prompting a search for his successor.[6]
Why did .my registrations drop so sharply in September?
MYNIC's domain count fell from 826,384 to 693,122, which the registry attributed to a junk drop as domains added during a successful promotion a year earlier failed to renew, pulling overall zone volume down sharply.[8]
Is the .si domain surge linked to AI policy a lasting trend?
Commentary on the spike notes it followed a US executive order directing government agencies to use 'Super Intelligence' (SI) instead of 'Artificial Intelligence,' but analysts have characterized the resulting .si interest as a distraction rather than a structural demand shift worth building a strategy around.[7]
Is GoDaddy itself facing a takeover?
Domain Name Wire's weekly roundup included takeover speculation about GoDaddy among its top five stories, alongside separate items on .si and IONOS layoffs, though no transaction terms or confirmation were reported.[4]
Sources and citations
- Domain Name WireVerisign announces Verisign Informed, applies for .pki top level domainAndrew Allemann · October 5, 2026
- Domain Shane / DSADAUCTION RECAP OF OCTOBER 4, 2026Travis M. · October 5, 2026
- DNJournalWe Will Learn Who Applied for What on ICANN New gTLD Reveal Day Wednesday - Experts Will Provide In-Depth Next Day Analysis in Free ICA Webinar ThursdayOctober 5, 2026
- Domain Name WireTop five news stories: .Si, IONOS layoffs, and a GoDaddy takeover?Andrew Allemann · October 5, 2026
- Domain Name WireDemocratization, compression, and delegation – DNW Podcast #606Andrew Allemann · October 5, 2026
- DomainIncite.bank registry looking for new bossKevin Murphy · October 5, 2026
- DomainInvesting.com.AI? .SI? More Like .DistractionElliot Silver · October 5, 2026
- DomainInciteJunk drop hits .my domains hardKevin Murphy · October 5, 2026
- Domain Shane / DSADTrav’s List of Domains at Auction for Monday, October 5, 2026Travis M. · October 5, 2026
- DomainInciteAs GoDaddy loses .us to Identity Digital, some domains may be at riskKevin Murphy · October 5, 2026
Each source opens the original publisher. Unique Domains summarizes and attributes this reporting without republishing the source article.