History of the TLD

.accountant is a generic top-level domain created as part of ICANN’s New gTLD Program and delegated to the root zone in March 2015. It was introduced to provide a targeted namespace for accountants and accounting-related entities worldwide. The registry was operated by Famous Four Media (now under GRS Domains) with Neustar providing backend services at delegation. The extension became publicly available for general registration shortly after delegation.

Main Use and Industry Position

.accountant is intended for use by accounting professionals, firms, and financial service providers. It signals expertise, professionalism, and industry focus for websites, marketing, and branded digital assets connected to accounting services. The TLD competes with other professional extensions such as .pro and industry‑specific domains by providing a clear and explicit identity for accounting services.

Comparison to Other TLDs

Compared to legacy extensions like .com or .net .accountant offers niche relevance for accounting professionals which can improve recognisability in search results and business branding. Unlike broader professional extensions like .pro, .accountant explicitly targets the accounting sector. It does not carry the stringent eligibility restrictions of some more exclusive finance TLDs such as .bank.

Pros and Cons of the TLD

Pros

• Provides industry specific branding for accounting professionals and firms

• Can improve trust and professional perception for target audiences

• Higher availability of relevant domain names compared to generic extensions

Cons

• Lower global recognition than legacy TLDs such as .com

• May incur higher registration and renewal costs than generic TLDs

• Less familiar to general consumers outside the accounting sector

Registration Criteria

Registration of .accountant domain names is open to the public without specialist prerequisites or professional verification. Anyone can register a .accountant domain through accredited registrars on a first‑come, first‑served basis, making it accessible for businesses, individuals, and organisations associated with accounting interests.

Summary

.accountant is a specialised gTLD designed to support online identities for accountants, accounting firms, and financial professionals. It launched in 2015 under ICANN’s expansion of the domain name system, and provides an industry‑focused alternative to general extensions. The TLD offers strong branding potential and relevance for those in the accounting sector, with straightforward registration rules and broad accessibility.