Over a year remains until the launch of the next stage in ICANN’s new generic top-level domain program, but related news begins to appear more frequently. The latest one has been shared by Domain Incite; though more of a thought-provoking piece, this is definitely worth considering.
D3 Global previously announced that it intends to apply for a new generic top-level domain .DOGE. The company aims to integrate DNS system domains with blockchain systems and seeks to use .DOGE for the fans of Dogecoin cryptocurrency. This so-called memecoin, which essentially does not have a fundamental value, was launched back in 2014 and used a popular internet meme with a Shiba Inu dog as its mascot. Since them, Dogecoin has become very popular, and, defying logic, turned into an actual investment tool.
The problem with the .DOGE bid is that one of Donald Trump’s first decisions after assuming the office was to establish the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk. The latter is not just aware about Dogecoin; he is known as its big fan and seems to have first proposed DOGE as the name of the agency as a kind of in-joke.
It can be speculated whether Elon Musk knows about domain industry news and the bid for .DOGE. However, one can easily assume that the United State will oppose the bid for a domain whose name coincides with the abbreviation of a government agency. If the US decides to start throwing its weight around on ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee, it can become a decisive obstacle on the new domain’s path.
Obviously, all of this is no more than speculation. D3 Global representatives are showing cautious optimism. “Anything the current administration does to raise the visibility of domains, cryptocurrencies, and blockchains we view as a positive for our industry,” the company’s chief marketing officer Mark Trang said.
