History of the TLD

The .broker top-level domain (TLD) is a generic gTLD introduced under ICANN’s New gTLD Program. It was delegated into the root zone in 2015 and became available for general registration later that year. The registry is operated by Dog Beach, LLC with technical support from Identity Digital. The TLD was created to serve brokerage and financial service sectors, providing a professional namespace aligned to broker businesses and related services.

Main Use and Industry Position

.broker is designed for brokerage firms, financial advisors, real estate brokers, insurance brokers, and other professionals involved in brokerage and advisory services. It provides a clear and industry-specific option for websites and branding, signaling the nature of the business to clients and partners.

Comparison to Other TLDs

Compared to general TLDs like .com or .net, .broker offers a niche identity specifically for brokerage services. Unlike broader financial TLDs such as .finance or .money, .broker targets the brokerage sector, making it a precise choice for professionals in that field. It provides more thematic clarity than unrestricted gTLDs like .biz.

Pros and Cons of the TLD

Pros

• Clear industry association for brokers and financial professionals

• Helps with branding and market positioning within the brokerage space

• Supported by DNSSEC for secure DNS resolution

Cons

• Less universal recognition than legacy TLDs like .com

• May be more expensive than some alternative gTLDs

• Potentially fewer SEO benefits compared with mainstream domains in some markets

Registration Criteria

Registration is generally open to individuals and organizations with intended use for brokerage and related services. There are no stringent verification requirements for most registrars beyond standard registration policies.

Summary

.broker is a thematic gTLD aimed at brokers and professionals in financial and real estate services. It enhances online identity with an industry-specific extension while maintaining registration flexibility. Security features such as DNSSEC support and WHOIS privacy options are available through many registrars.