From A to .xyz
.xyz entered the root zone in February 2014 as one of the first new gTLDs from ICANN's 2012 program, marketed as a home for "every website." Its big break came in 2015, when Google reorganized into Alphabet and put its new parent company at abc.xyz.
Low launch prices made .xyz one of the largest new gTLDs by volume — and, like other cheap endings, a target for spammers. If you use it for email, set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC properly and monitor deliverability.
Good for
- Side projects and experiments
- Web3 and crypto-adjacent brands
- Names that are gone everywhere else
Watch out for
- Very low promotional prices have attracted spam in the past, so some filters are wary
- Renewal prices can be much higher than first-year promos
.xyz by the numbers
.xyz is a generic top-level domain (gTLD). XYZ.COM LLC runs the registry under a contract with ICANN.
.xyz entered the DNS root zone on February 19, 2014, 12 years ago. It came out of ICANN's New gTLD Program, the 2012 application round that grew the root from 22 generic TLDs to well over a thousand.
XYZ.COM LLC operates a large portfolio of 35 TLDs, including .audio, .auto, .autos, .baby and .beauty.
On the technical side, .xyz is served by 4 authoritative name servers, every one of them reachable over IPv6. It is also DNSSEC-signed: the root zone carries a DS record for .xyz, which lets validating resolvers check its answers cryptographically. Registration data is published over RDAP and WHOIS (the WHOIS server is whois.nic.xyz).
Same registry, other endings
34 other TLDs share this operator.
.xyz vs other endings
.xyz FAQ
Who uses .xyz?
Most famously Alphabet, Google's parent company, whose corporate site is abc.xyz.
What does .xyz mean?
.xyz is a generic top-level domain named for the word "xyz". It doesn't belong to any country.
What country is .xyz?
None. .xyz is a generic top-level domain, so it isn't tied to any country.
Who owns the .xyz domain extension?
XYZ.COM LLC operates .xyz as its registry, under a registry agreement with ICANN.
When was .xyz created?
.xyz was delegated to the DNS root zone on February 19, 2014.
Is .xyz a valid domain?
Yes. .xyz is an active top-level domain in the DNS root zone, delegated in 2014, so .xyz addresses work in every browser.
Can I buy a .xyz domain?
.xyz names are sold through ICANN-accredited registrars. Some gTLDs restrict who can register, so read XYZ.COM LLC's policy if you're unsure.
Is .xyz DNSSEC-signed?
Yes, the root zone holds a DS record for .xyz.
Sources
Data from IANA root zone version 2026102000. Last changed October 21, 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
