What is .shop?
ICANN's records put the delegation of .shop on May 23, 2016. Like most of the newer endings, it was applied for in the 2012 New gTLD Program round and its registry agreement was signed on April 8, 2016.
GMO Registry, Inc. also runs 3 other TLDs, including .nagoya, .tokyo and .yokohama.
Under the hood, the root zone points to 4 name servers for .shop, 3 of them reachable over IPv6. The delegation is DNSSEC-signed, so resolvers can verify that answers for .shop haven't been tampered with on the way. Registration data is published over RDAP and WHOIS (the WHOIS server is whois.nic.shop).
Same registry, other endings
3 other TLDs share this operator.
.shop FAQ
What does .shop mean?
.shop is a generic top-level domain named for the word "shop", and it's aimed at shopping & e-commerce. It doesn't belong to any country.
What is .shop used for?
.shop is mostly used for shopping & e-commerce. Like most gTLDs, it's a label of intent rather than a guarantee — check the site, not just the ending.
What country is .shop?
None. .shop is a generic top-level domain, so it isn't tied to any country.
Who owns the .shop domain extension?
GMO Registry, Inc. operates .shop as its registry, under a registry agreement with ICANN.
When was .shop created?
.shop was delegated to the DNS root zone on May 23, 2016.
Is .shop a valid domain?
Yes. .shop is an active top-level domain in the DNS root zone, delegated in 2016, so .shop addresses work in every browser.
Can I buy a .shop domain?
.shop names are sold through ICANN-accredited registrars. Some gTLDs restrict who can register, so read GMO Registry, Inc.'s policy if you're unsure.
Is .shop DNSSEC-signed?
Yes, the root zone holds a DS record for .shop.
Sources
Data from IANA root zone version 2026102000. Last changed August 20, 2019. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
