The top-level domain (TLD) .LEASE refers to an internet domain structure that is used by businesses, individuals or organizations that are predominantly engaged in the rental, leasing or financing sector. It was introduced to offer a dedicated online platform for the leasing industry to interact with their existing or potential customers.
A top-level domain (TLD) is the last segment of the domain name. The TLD is the letters immediately following the final dot in an Internet address. For example, in the domain name www.example.lease, the top-level domain is ‘lease.’
The .LEASE TLD is a generic top-level domain (gTLD), which is one of the categories of top-level domains (TLDs) maintained by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). It was proposed in ICANN’s New gTLD Program and is currently managed by Donuts Inc., a company that owns numerous gTLDs which range from .academy to .zone. Donuts Inc. won the rights to manage .LEASE via auction with no qualifying restraints on registration.
This means that anyone can register a .LEASE domain name. It allows companies or individuals operating within the lease, rental, or finance industry greater flexibility and brand recognition online. The .LEASE domain extension can be used by property agents, car leasing companies, equipment leasing businesses, financial institutions, and more. For example, a property leasing company could use www.primeproperty.lease for its website to demonstrate clearly the nature of their business. The .LEASE extension has yet not gained much popularity, but has potential to be of significant use in industries where leasing is a major part of business operations.
According to the data from Domain Name Stat, as of November 2020, the .LEASE domain has approximately 1,000 total domains and is ranked 1,627 in the overall domain ranking, moresoone of the least popular gTLDs. This could be because .LEASE domains are a relatively niche product, aimed at a very specific market.
Therefore, the .LEASE TLD helps professionals in the lease industry to build an online identity that vividly presents their profession or business type in a self-explanatory manner. Whether one offers automobile, property, equipment leasing or financial services, the .LEASE domain can provide them with an exclusive domain namespace to highlight their services uniquely.
Sources:
- ICANN’s New gTLD Program (https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/)
- Top Level Domain (TLD): Mona Foundation (https://www.monash.edu/it/our-services/monash-it-infrastructure/cyber-security/threats/top-level-domain-tld)
- Donuts Inc. (https://www.donuts.domains/)
- Domain Name Stat (https://domainnamestat.com/)
