The top-level domain (TLD) ‘.cx’ is the Internet country code domain for Christmas Island. An Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is an extension reserved by a country, sovereign state, or territory. These are usually two-letter domains established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 3166-1) to stand for a specific country.
In this case, ‘.cx’ was assigned to Christmas Island, a small Australian territory in the Indian Ocean, which was named by Captain William Mynors of the East India Ship Company, who sailed past it on Christmas Day, in 1643. Despite its remote location and small size, Christmas Island has its exclusive domain extension.
The .cx domain is managed by Christmas Island Internet Administration Limited, also referred to as CIIA. The CIIA is an open membership, not-for-profit organization charged with the responsibility of administering the .cx domain within the scope of the policies determined in accordance with laws of Christmas Island.
Various entities use the .cx domain, ranging from businesses, individuals, and organizations within Christmas Island to international users who choose .cx for various reasons, possibly linked to the novelty of the ‘cx’ designation or for the festive connotations of Christmas. CX domains can be registered at the second level or at the third level beneath second-level categories that have a commercial emphasis.
For example, take the popular site, T66y.com. When it was blocked, the site owners registered a mirror site at t66y.cx. This alternate URL allowed them to retain their user base while circumventing internet filters.
Like many country domains, .cx is also used in domain hacks, where the TLD becomes part of the word the domain spells out. An example is “fa.cx”, a website for an IT and Design consulting company named “fracx.”
The methods for registering a .cx domain are similar to most TLDs. Registration is possible directly at the second level or at the third level beneath various second-level labels. There is no local presence required to register a .cx domain, and there are no explicit restrictions on who can register .cx domain names.
References:
1. ICANNWiki (n.d.). ‘.cx’. ICANN. Retrieved from https://icannwiki.org/.CX
2. Pierce, D. (2012). ‘What Is a Domain Name?’. Wired. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/2012/08/what-is-a-domain-name-2/
3. Christmas Island Internet Administration (CIIA) https://www.nic.cx/
4. ISO 3166-1 code elements https://www.iso.org/iso-3166-country-codes.html
5. Domain hacks examples: YourNameHere.cx https://www.101domain.com/cx.htm 6. World Intellectual Property Organization regarding .cx domain: https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/cctld/cx/index.html.
