The Top Level Domain (TLD) refers to the last segment of a domain name, or the part that follows immediately after the “dot” symbol. Top-level domains are managed and coordinated by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
As of now, “.MOI” is a top-level domain name on the Internet. However, it’s worth noting that the .MOI TLD is a Generic top-level domain (gTLD). GTLDs are one of the categories of top-level domains (TLDs) maintained by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) for use in the Domain Name System of the Internet.
The .MOI top level domain was delegated by ICANN and was added to the Internet root zone on February 24, 2016. It is operated by Amazon Registry Services, Inc., the domain registrar subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc.
This specific TLD “.MOI” derives its name from the French language word “Moi”, which means “me” in English. The primary audience for .moi is users who want a more personalized domain name that highlights an emphasis on individuality.
Unlike country-specific top-level domain (ccTLD), which carries two characters long standing for specific geo-locations such as .UK for the United Kingdom and .JP for Japan, .MOI gTLDs can be registered by anyone, anywhere in the world without any country-specific requirement or restriction.
The introduction of .MOI is part of a wider development where hundreds of new top-level domains are providing more choices for businesses and individuals wanting to have a more customized web presence. This varies from other professional designations like .app, .bank, .law to more general ones such as .online, .music, .blog, etc.
Though these gTLDs like .MOI could offer more personalized and memorizable domain names to web users, they also present a new challenge in terms of digital brand protection, as businesses would need to consider whether to secure these new domain names to prevent potential brand abuse or cybersquatting.
Sources:
1. “ICANN New gTLDs”. Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Retrieved from https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/
1. “IANA — .moi Domain Delegation Data”. Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). Retrieved from https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/moi.html
1. “About Amazon Registry Services”. Amazon Registry Services, Inc. Retrieved from https://registry.amazon/
1. “What is a Top Level Domain (TLD)?”. retrieved from, https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/dns/glossary/what-is-a-top-level-domain-tld/
