.broker

Status:	Available
Date Implemented:	29 April 2015
Type:	Generic
Category:	Professional
Priority #:	1168 - IG Group Holdings PLC 1473 - Donuts (Spring North, LLC)
More information:

.broker is a new generic top level domain name (gTLD) delegated to the New gTLD Program of ICANN. IG Group Holdings PLC manages the TLD and is its Registry. The proposed application succeeded and was delegated to the Root Zone on 29 April, 2015. It reached General Availability 16 November 2015.

Current Applicants

The applicants are:

1. IG Group Holdings PLC, a company based in Great Britain. TD Ameritrade filed a Limited Public Interest Objection against this application, as did Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. The IG Group is proposing to run the string as a "closed" registry. The TD Ameritrade objection failed.
2. Donuts (Spring North, LLC), The company submitted applications for 307 new gTLDs. This applicant submitted a Public Interest Commitment, which can be downloaded here.

IG Group Holdings PLC

The application from IG Group Holdings PLC was issued a GAC Early Warning from the representative of Australia and GAC Chair, Heather Dryden. The warning system is noted as a strong recommendation on behalf of national governments to the ICANN Board that a given TLD application should be denied as it stands. Applicants are encouraged to work with objecting GAC members. The warning states that the applicant is "seeking exclusive access to a common generic string .. that relates to a broad market sector," which Ms. Dryden notes could have unintended consequences and a negative impact on competition.

Top-Level Domain

Governmental Advisory Committee. Considers and provides advice on the activities of ICANN as they relate to concerns of governments, particularly matters where there may be an interaction between ICANN's policies and various laws and international agreements or where they may affect public policy issues (ICANN Bylaws).