MIAMI — ICM Registry, the operator of .xxx, .adult and .porn, has won the right to operate the .sex gTLD.
Internet Marketing Solutions Ltd., a competing applicant for .sex, has withdrawn its application, leaving ICM Registry's bid as the sole applicant for .sex.
Stuart Lawley, CEO of ICM Registry, told XBIZ that his company acquired the rights to .sex in a transaction for the gTLD.
The agreement "is subject to confidentiality but in essence we bought the other applicant out, and he has no continued interest in .sex," said Lawley, who did not disclose terms of the buyout.
"We are happy with the terms of the deal and I believe it shows our commitment to the adult space and our existing customers," he said.
Today's news opens up new opportunities for those adult brands seeking to carve space in the market. Last year ICM Registry disclosed it was moving forward with its "grandfathering program" that allocates the .porn, .adult, and now .sex equivalent automatically for the corresponding .xxx holder with no obligation to buy.
ICM Registry Vice President Stephen Winyard in July's XBIZ World said that the first two additional TLDs, .porn and .adult, are currently going through the final launch and planning stages. Winyard told XBIZ that the registry hasn't announced an operational date yet for those two TLDs.
"There are many moving parts involved in bringing a new extension to the market, particularly in the new cluttered TLD environment and ensuring compliance with ICANN's rigorous rules and policies and we are still hopeful of a late Q4 go live this year," he said.
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