Why island TLDs (.ai, .tv, .to) are so coveted
The article explains why several country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs) — .to, .tv, .ai, .io, .gg, .tk, .me, .ly and .ag — have global commercial value far beyond their home markets. Demand arises from natural word associations (e.g., .tv for television, .to as a preposition, .ai for artificial intelligence), domain-hack and short-link opportunities, branding and startup appeal (.io), and gaming use (.gg). For tiny jurisdictions, licensing and registration fees can be a major revenue source (Tuvalu’s .tv, Anguilla’s .ai). The article also warns that some ccTLDs were widely issued or abused and became havens for phishing, piracy or content restricted by registry-country rules. It notes ICANN is accepting new gTLD applications through 2026-08-12, with a $227,000 fee per string.