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    • .sexy

    Generic top-level domainsIDNDNSSEC

    Overview

    .sexy is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) operated by Uniregistry and delegated to the DNS root on 14 November 2013. The string is intended for adult-, novelty- and lifestyle-oriented uses and supports DNSSEC and IDN (internationalized domain names).

    • Registry: Uniregistry
    • Delegation: 14 November 2013
    • DNSSEC: Yes
    • IDN: Yes
    • Intended use: adult entertainment, novelty, fashion, recreation
    • Registered domains (Sep 2023): 10,203

    History

    • .sexy was one of the first Uniregistry gTLDs launched (alongside .tattoo) and was delegated on 14 November 2013.
    • Sunrise period: 11 December 2013 to 9 February 2014; general availability began 25 February 2014.
    • First-day general-availability registrations were around 2,000, a result described by commentators as a disappointing low showing.
    • Launch challenges included registrar boycotts tied to privacy concerns over Uniregistry's registrant identity requirements, domain name collisions affecting pre-orders, and some pre-ordered names being reserved by the registry.
    • In 2015, measurements indicated that networks in Iran were systematically blocking .sexy domains.
    • In 2017 Uniregistry CEO Frank Schilling raised prices for .sexy and other low-use gTLDs to address operating costs.

    Usage and Audience

    • Target audience: brands and individuals seeking novelty, fashion, recreation, risqué or adult-associated branding.
    • According to Uniregistry, .sexy is intended "for fun, for fashion, for recreation, as a novelty, [and] for risqué content." (registry statement summarized in sources)
    • Common concerns and uses:
      • Association with adult industries and novelty branding.
      • Instances of cybersquatting and registrations targeting major companies that did not wish to be associated with adult content.
    • Market data (Sep 2023): .sexy accounted for about 0.03% of all domains; NameCheap held approximately 65.8% of .sexy registrations.

    Registration Rules

    • Registry policies include an Acceptable Use Policy that prohibits sexual content or nudity on the front page of .sexy websites; sites may use a landing/warning page with an age-gate or click-through to access explicit content.
    • Trademark sunrise was implemented before general availability to allow trademark holders to register names ahead of public registrations.
    • IDN support means internationalized characters are permitted; DNSSEC is supported.
    • Other registration specifics such as minimum/maximum registration periods and exact allowed character sets are not detailed in the provided sources.

    SEO and Brand Impact

    • .sexy has seen limited uptake compared with many other gTLDs; commentators described its lack of popularity as a weakness for broad branding use.
    • The association with adult content and reports of cybersquatting have raised brand-protection concerns for trademark holders.
    • Registry pricing was increased in 2017 for low-use gTLDs (including .sexy) to improve financial viability, which can affect adoption and resale dynamics.

    Notable Cases or Examples

    • Formal objections: Saudi Arabia's Communications and Information Technology Commission filed an objection during the application process.
    • A string-confusion objection was submitted by the .sx registry and later withdrawn.
    • The Independent Objector reviewed .sexy among other "controversial" strings and did not sustain objections on the basis of international law at that time.
    • Blocking: surveys in 2015 found systematic blocking of .sexy domains on some networks in Iran.
    • Operational issues at launch included registrar boycotts (privacy concerns), name collisions, and reserved pre-orders; first-day registrations were modest (~2,000).
    • Market snapshot (Sep 2023): 10,203 registered .sexy domains, with NameCheap holding the majority market share (65.8%).

    Operator

    Internet Naming Co.

    Whois

    % IANA WHOIS server
% for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org
% This query returned 1 object

domain:       SEXY

organisation: Internet Naming Co.
address:      23 Lime Tree Bay
address:      West Bay Grand Cayman KY1-1505
address:      Cayman Islands (the)

contact:      administrative
name:         Shayan Rostam
organisation: Internet Naming Co.
address:      23 Lime Tree Bay
address:      West Bay Grand Cayman KY1-1505
address:      Cayman Islands (the)
phone:        +1.424.888.0690
e-mail:       partners@inaming.co

contact:      technical
name:         Francisco Obispo
organisation: Tucows.com, Co.
address:      96 Mowat Avenue
address:      Toronto ON M6K3M1
address:      Canada
phone:        +1 (416) 535-0123
e-mail:       trs-ops@tucows.com

nserver:      NS01.TRS-DNS.COM 2620:57:4001:0:0:0:0:1 64.96.1.1
nserver:      NS01.TRS-DNS.INFO 185.159.198.3 2620:10a:80ab:0:0:0:0:3
nserver:      NS01.TRS-DNS.NET 2620:57:4002:0:0:0:0:1 64.96.2.1
nserver:      NS01.TRS-DNS.ORG 185.159.197.3 2620:10a:80aa:0:0:0:0:3
ds-rdata:     42010 13 2 a0e135ac7e6ffb2cad1574c08c837bb5d5a4e34c60356498389e69b55943d58c

whois:        whois.nic.sexy

status:       ACTIVE
remarks:      Registration information: https://internetnaming.co

created:      2013-11-08
changed:      2025-05-15
source:       IANA

    Registrars