.xyz

Overview

• .xyz is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) introduced through ICANN's New gTLD Program.
• The string references the last letters of the Latin alphabet and the marketing concept of "Generation XYZ" (Generations X, Y and Z).
• Registry operator: XYZ.COM LLC (often shown as XYZ.COM); technical registry/back-end operations by CentralNic.
• Intended use: none specified; marketed as a generic, broadly appealing TLD for individuals and organizations.

History

• Application and contracting:
  • .xyz was applied for as part of ICANN's New gTLD Program; XYZ.COM LLC was the sole applicant for the string.
  • ICANN signed a Registry Agreement with XYZ.COM LLC on December 5, 2013.
• Delegation and availability:
  • Delegated to the DNS Root Zone on 19 February 2014.
  • Entered general availability on 2 June 2014.
• Adoption milestones reported in sources:
  • First new gTLD to reach 750,000 registrations (reported December 2014).
  • Reached 1.5 million registrations by November 2015.
  • An nTLDStats figure (cited on ICANNWiki) reported ~6,237,000 registered domains as of 17 June 2016.
• Early-launch issue:
  • In June 2014 a large number of early registrations were traced to a promotion by Network Solutions (NetSol) that placed .xyz domains into customer accounts on an opt-out basis.

Usage and Audience

• Positioning and goals:
  • Marketed as a truly generic gTLD to provide memorable, cross-industry domain names and increased choice compared with legacy TLDs.
  • Aims to serve individuals, businesses across multiple verticals, and registrants seeking affordable, recognizable names.
• Notable adopters and signals:
  • Alphabet (Google's parent company) uses abc.xyz, a high-profile use that boosted the TLD's visibility.

Registration Rules

• Restrictions: None (no special eligibility restrictions cited).
• DNSSEC: Yes (the TLD supports DNSSEC).
• Registry and operations:
  • Registry operator: XYZ.COM LLC.
  • Technical/back-end registry operator: CentralNic.
• Contracting and timeline:
  • Registry Agreement with ICANN signed December 5, 2013; general availability began June 2, 2014.

SEO and Brand Impact

• Positive brand signals:
  • Adoption by Alphabet (abc.xyz) provided notable validation and public visibility for the extension.
• Reputation concerns:
  • Reports and industry groups have identified .xyz among TLDs with high rates of malicious registrations.
  • The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) noted .xyz as among the top TLDs for malicious domain registrations, and several anti-malware vendors have responded by blacklisting many or all .xyz domains in some contexts.

Notable Cases or Examples

• Alphabet: abc.xyz — one of the most prominent corporate uses of the TLD.
• NetSol promotion (June 2014): a large number of early registrations were traced to a Network Solutions promotion that auto-registered matching .xyz domains for customers (opt-out model).
• 1.111B class (launched June 1, 2017): a campaign offering 6-, 7-, 8- and 9-digit numeric .xyz domains (000000.xyz through 999999999.xyz) priced at US$0.99 per year and renewable at the same price.
• Security/abuse reports: cited by industry sources for higher-than-average malicious activity, prompting some blacklisting by security vendors.

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

domain:       XYZ

organisation: XYZ.COM LLC
address:      4425 Spring Mountain Rd., Suite 2
address:      Las Vegas NV 89102
address:      United States of America (the)

contact:      administrative
name:         General Counsel
organisation: XYZ.COM LLC
address:      4425 Spring Mountain Rd., Suite 2
address:      Las Vegas NV 89102
address:      United States of America (the)
phone:        +1.7027632191
e-mail:       hello@xyz.com

contact:      technical
name:         CTO
organisation: CentralNic
address:      Saddlers House, 4th Floor
address:      44 Gutter Lane
address:      London EC2V 6BR
address:      United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the)
phone:        +44 20 33 88 0600
fax-no:       +44 20 33 88 0601
e-mail:       tld.ops@centralnic.com

nserver:      GENERATIONXYZ.NIC.XYZ 212.18.249.42 2a04:2b00:13ff:0:0:0:0:42
nserver:      X.NIC.XYZ 194.169.218.42 2001:67c:13cc:0:0:0:1:42
nserver:      Y.NIC.XYZ 185.24.64.42 2a04:2b00:13cc:0:0:0:1:42
nserver:      Z.NIC.XYZ 212.18.248.42 2a04:2b00:13ee:0:0:0:0:42
ds-rdata:     3599 8 2 b9733869bc84c86bb59d102ba5da6b27b2088552332a39dcd54bc4e8d66b0499
ds-rdata:     18130 8 2 5aa5961266594cceac50949a99219fe004f130e1864a427143e9ff2e641cac6f

whois:        whois.nic.xyz

status:       ACTIVE
remarks:      Registration information: https://nic.xyz

created:      2014-02-06
changed:      2025-08-12
source:       IANA