History of the TLD

.kaufen is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) created as part of ICANN’s New gTLD Program and was delegated into the Domain Name System in December 2013. It was applied for by United TLD Holdco Ltd and its backend operations are associated with Demand Media/United TLD. The extension was introduced to provide a domain namespace that resonates with German‑speaking users and businesses, reflecting the German word “kaufen,” meaning “to buy” which signals commercial intent to users.

Main Use and Industry Position

The .kaufen TLD is primarily intended for businesses, retailers, e‑commerce sites and individuals targeting German‑speaking audiences. It provides a clear semantic signal of commercial activity to users who speak German, which can help with branding and customer recognition in markets such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland. This TLD is globally available without residency restrictions and has positioned itself as a niche e‑commerce oriented namespace among the new gTLDs.

Comparison to Other TLDs

Compared with generic TLDs such as .com or .net, .kaufen offers specific linguistic and commercial significance for German‑focused e‑commerce, which can enhance relevance for regional marketing. Unlike generic global extensions, .kaufen targets a language community rather than a broad global audience. In contrast to ccTLDs like .de, which imply a connection to Germany, .kaufen does not require any national presence but still appeals to German speakers based on meaning.

Pros and Cons of the TLD

Pros

• Offers immediate commercial meaning to German‑speaking audiences
  

• No residency or local presence requirements
  

• Available for anyone to register
  

Cons

• More niche and less globally recognised than legacy TLDs such as .com
  

• May have higher registration costs than some generic TLDs
  

• Limited adoption compared to major TLDs
  
  

Registration Criteria

Registration is open to all individuals and organisations on a first‑come, first‑served basis with no special restrictions. Domain names must meet standard syntax rules and length criteria.

Summary

The .kaufen top‑level domain is a German‑language oriented gTLD introduced in late 2013 to serve online commerce and retail organisations targeting German‑speaking markets. It is unrestricted in terms of eligibility and supports modern DNS features including DNSSEC and privacy options. It competes with other targeted and generic extensions by offering a linguistically meaningful namespace that directly implies buying activity.