As the window to secure a Brand Top-Level Domain opens in April 2026, many organizations are rethinking how they manage digital identity and DNS risk.
A Brand TLD provides a controlled, brand-authentic namespace that strengthens trust, eliminates lookalike risk, and reduces exposure across customer-facing channels.
We’re also seeing growing attention on DNS as a critical yet often under-governed layer of enterprise security and brand protection.
This quarter’s update highlights why Brand TLDs change the game and how you can mature your DNS security posture.
2026: The Year of Brands TLDs
Brand TLDs Are Back – and They Matter More Than Ever
Brand-owned namespaces (think .audi, .ibm, .aws, .google) are foundations of trust and security.
At a time of rising phishing, DNS risk, domain sprawl, and noise across the internet, owning your brand-authentic namespace delivers a durable digital trust advantage.
Over 500 brands applied for their own TLD in 2012.
The second ICANN application round begins in April 2026. You don’t want to miss it!
Start Building Your Brand TLD Plan
Partner Spotlight: Pitch.law
Authentic Web has partnered with Pitch.law (legal, ICANN, and IP monitoring specialists). Together we bring clients a modern, technology-enabled approach to domain and DNS management, with executive-level service unmatched in the industry.
The expertise that powered hundreds of ICANN applications is now matched with Brand TLD usage insights and a modern control system that supports your Brand TLD strategy and go-to-market execution.
DNS Security Compromises In the Wild: The Hazy Hawk Example
DNS-based impersonation attacks continue to target global enterprises, with “Hazy Hawk”-style attacks becoming increasingly common. These threats exploit misconfigured DNS records, dangling CNAMEs, and orphaned infrastructure to impersonate brands—often without detection until meaningful damage occurs.
A Brand TLD directly reduces this exposure.
By consolidating all digital assets under a closed, brand-authentic namespace with automated DNS security controls, organizations eliminate entire classes of DNS and supply-chain vulnerabilities.
No guesswork — fully automated — shrinking your DNS attack surface.
A secure digital brand identity protects your organization and your customers.
Domain Name Asset Manager Built for the Brand TLD Era
As organizations evaluate Brand TLD strategies, one challenge quickly emerges: legacy registrar systems were built for a different era. They don’t support modern security, governance, or compliance requirements for managing today’s complex DNS landscape, let alone the operational needs of a Brand TLD.
Authentic Web unifies domain, DNS, and Brand TLD operations into a modern control system.