The latest report from ICANN shows that registration volumes for internationalized domain names (IDNs) are decreasing.



IDNs were introduced over ten years ago but have not been very popular. At the end of 2022, there were 1.52 million IDN names across all gTLDs (including Latin-script TLDs), which was down 2.94% from a year earlier. This decline is actually slower than in previous years where the average decrease from 2019 to 2021 was 11.36%.

Chinese-script names were the most common (50% of the total), with Latin coming second place (26%). Some Latin-script languages require IDNs to accommodate diacritics like cedillas and umlauts. Korean, Cyrillic, and Japanese followed in popularity while India's multitude of scripts fall into the "other" category, with less than 1% of the total, despite the country's vast population.

This relatively low number of registrations is spread across ASCII and IDN gTLDs. IDNs can be somewhat popular in some ccTLD registries. For instance, Russia has 681,000 .РФ names today, while China recorded 190,000 .中国 names mid-2022.

ICANN has made IDNs and universal acceptance a cornerstone of its current strategic plan, and there's likely to be a push for IDN applications in the next new gTLD round.

ICANN's strategic plan aims to promote the universal acceptance of Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) as part of its efforts to create a more inclusive and accessible internet for users around the world. IDNs allow domain names to be registered and displayed in non-ASCII characters, such as Cyrillic, Arabic, Chinese, and many others, which are more representative of various languages and scripts.

By focusing on universal acceptance of IDNs, ICANN seeks to ensure that these domain names function effectively across different systems, applications, and platforms. This includes working with stakeholders to address technical, policy, and operational challenges related to the implementation of IDNs and to promote their widespread use.

In essence, ICANN's strategic plan for universal acceptance of IDNs is aligned with its broader mission to support a globally interoperable, stable, and secure internet. This initiative reflects the organization's commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility in the domain name system, thereby enabling all users to navigate the internet using domain names that reflect their language and culture.

Additionally, ICANN works on raising awareness about the benefits of IDNs and the importance of their universal acceptance. This includes educational initiatives, outreach programs, and capacity-building efforts aimed at promoting understanding and support for IDNs among internet users, businesses, and other organizations.

Furthermore, ICANN's strategic plan involves advocating for the integration of IDNs into various internet protocols, standards, and applications to ensure seamless interoperability across different platforms and systems. By facilitating the widespread acceptance and use of IDNs, ICANN aims to contribute to a more inclusive online environment where users can access, create, and interact with digital content using domain names that reflect their linguistic and cultural identity.