Rights Protection Mechanisms TMCH and Beyond in 2026

As the 2026 round of the new gTLD program approaches, the protection of intellectual property rights remains a central pillar of ICANN’s commitment to maintaining trust and stability within the Domain Name System. The proliferation of new top-level domains brings both opportunities and challenges, particularly for trademark owners who must safeguard their brands across an expanded namespace. To address these concerns, ICANN has refined and reaffirmed a suite of Rights Protection Mechanisms (RPMs), chief among them the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH), while also incorporating additional safeguards and enhancements in response to community feedback and lessons from the 2012 round.

The Trademark Clearinghouse, originally established for the 2012 round, will again serve as the cornerstone of rights protection in 2026. TMCH is a centralized database of validated trademarks submitted by rights holders around the world. Its primary function is to provide a preemptive layer of protection for trademarks during the initial phases of new gTLD launches, most notably through the Sunrise and Claims periods. In 2026, trademark owners will once more be able to register their marks in the TMCH to gain early access to domain registrations in new gTLDs during the Sunrise Period—a window in which only verified TMCH holders can register domains matching their trademarks before general availability opens to the public.

The TMCH has been refined for the 2026 round with increased support for jurisdictions with complex trademark recognition systems and improved multilingual handling, ensuring that a broader and more diverse range of rights holders can participate effectively. Additionally, the validation process for submitted marks has been streamlined through enhanced integration with national trademark offices, reducing delays and improving accuracy in the verification of legitimate trademark claims.

Beyond Sunrise, the TMCH underpins the Claims Service, which operates during the first ninety days of general availability for each new gTLD. During this period, anyone attempting to register a domain that matches a TMCH-recorded trademark will receive a notice informing them of a potential rights conflict. If they proceed, the trademark holder is simultaneously alerted to the registration attempt, providing a valuable early-warning mechanism and allowing for rapid response through existing dispute resolution processes. In 2026, the Claims Service will feature improved notification formats, expanded language options, and tighter integration with registrar platforms to ensure end-user clarity and compliance.

However, the 2026 round is not limited to the TMCH framework. It builds upon that foundation with broader RPMs designed to address evolving threats and ensure a balanced domain ecosystem. The Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS) system remains a critical tool for addressing clear-cut cases of trademark infringement in new gTLDs. Designed as a faster and more cost-effective alternative to the longstanding Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP), the URS allows trademark holders to obtain the suspension of infringing domains in cases where evidence of bad faith is overwhelmingly clear. In 2026, updates to the URS process include revised fee structures, expanded provider support, and new procedural guidance intended to make the mechanism more accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises.

For cases requiring the transfer of domains or more complex adjudication, the UDRP remains available and fully applicable to all new gTLDs. While the UDRP has not been overhauled for the 2026 round, its relevance is underscored by an increasing volume of cases driven by cybersquatting, brand impersonation, and fraud in an expanding TLD environment. Importantly, ICANN has invested in enhanced educational resources for both registrants and rights holders to clarify the distinctions between URS and UDRP and help parties choose the appropriate avenue for their needs.

A new addition in the 2026 round is the Recommended Label Generation Rules (LGR) Validation for IDNs, aimed at preventing visually confusable labels in Internationalized Domain Names. These rules, while not exclusive to rights protection, help prevent abuse by blocking homoglyph-based impersonation of trademarked domains using scripts such as Cyrillic or Devanagari. Registry operators are required to adopt LGRs for supported scripts, further reducing the risk of deceptive domain registrations.

Moreover, the Public Interest Commitments (PICs) and Registry Restrictions Dispute Resolution Procedure (RRDRP) continue to serve as backstops against registry-level misconduct that could lead to rights violations. In 2026, greater clarity has been added to how trademark owners can leverage these procedures in cases where a registry fails to uphold its contractual commitments related to abuse prevention or eligibility restrictions. These safeguards, while less commonly invoked, provide a mechanism for systemic oversight beyond individual domain disputes.

ICANN has also mandated enhanced registry abuse mitigation standards for all new gTLD operators. These include requirements to maintain rapid takedown mechanisms, cooperate with law enforcement, and respond promptly to abuse reports. While not targeted solely at trademark issues, these provisions strengthen the overall ecosystem and complement direct rights protection tools by curbing the spread of domains used for phishing, counterfeiting, or brand deception.

Trademark holders entering the 2026 round face a significantly more sophisticated and comprehensive set of RPMs than were available in 2012. To take full advantage of these protections, rights holders must act early—beginning with enrollment in the TMCH and developing a monitoring strategy that spans registration, notification, and enforcement. Coordination with legal counsel, domain name specialists, and global brand teams will be critical to identify vulnerable marks, prioritize at-risk domains, and develop rapid response plans for potential infringements.

The expansion of the DNS through the 2026 gTLD program offers tremendous opportunities, but it also demands vigilance from brand owners. With the TMCH and a reinforced arsenal of rights protection mechanisms, ICANN has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding intellectual property. Yet the effectiveness of these tools ultimately hinges on the proactive engagement of trademark holders who must be prepared to assert their rights in a dynamic and continuously evolving domain space.

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As the 2026 round of the new gTLD program approaches, the protection of intellectual property rights remains a central pillar of ICANN’s commitment to maintaining trust and stability within the Domain Name System. The proliferation of new top-level domains brings both opportunities and challenges, particularly for trademark owners who must safeguard their brands across an…