History of the TLD .gift

The .gift top-level domain is a generic top-level domain created as part of ICANN’s New gTLD Program to expand the domain name space beyond traditional extensions. It was delegated to the DNS root zone and became publicly available in 2014. The registry and operator for .gift is Uniregistry, Corp., which manages the TLD’s policies and technical operations. The extension is categorised for commerce and gift-related uses.

Main Use and Industry Position

The .gift TLD is intended for businesses, organisations, and individuals focused on gifts, gift-giving, celebrations, e-commerce around gifting, and related content. It signals to users that the website may offer products, ideas, services, or content associated with gifts. As a gTLD it positions itself as a thematic alternative to broader generic TLDs like .com, enabling more specific branding and online identity within the gifting sector.

Comparison to Other TLDs

Compared to established extensions like .com or .net the .gift TLD is newer and more specialised. This can make it more memorable for gift-focused businesses but it is less universally recognised than legacy extensions. Compared with other thematic gTLDs such as .shop or .store the .gift domain is narrower in niche focus, which can be an advantage for targeted marketing but may have a smaller overall adoption rate.

Pros and Cons of the TLD

Pros

• Clearly signals a gifting theme to visitors

• Can enhance brand positioning in gift-related markets

• Typically easier to find desired names than in crowded legacy TLDs

Cons

• Less globally recognised than major generic extensions

• May be perceived as niche outside of gifting use cases

• Limited historical adoption compared with long-established TLDs

Registration Criteria

The .gift TLD has no specific restrictions for registration. It is generally open to all registrants worldwide without eligibility requirements.

Summary

The .gift domain is a generic top-level domain introduced in 2014, operated by Uniregistry, Corp. It is intended for use in the gifting industry and related activities but is open for registration by anyone. Its specific thematic focus may offer branding advantages for gift-oriented businesses or projects, while its relative newness means it remains less widely recognised than longer-established TLDs.