 
 
The Cardano Foundation says it is willing to splurge over $700,000 in the quest for a .ada and .cardano top-level domain if it obtains approval from community members. Amid the plans, the ADA price has gained over 3%, but it remains unclear whether key stakeholders will signal support for the domains.
Cardano To Apply For .ada And .cardano Domains
According to a blog post, the Cardano Foundation is exploring new avenues to strengthen Cardano’s presence, with the latest initiative being the upcoming application window for registering generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs).
Per the announcement, the non-profit has revealed plans to apply for the registration of the .ada and .cardano gTLDs with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Scheduled for Q1 2025, the Cardano Foundation announced that it meets the technical and operational requirements for a gTLD through its community-based application.
If the application is successful, participants in the Cardano ecosystem will be able to attach either .ada or .cardano to their websites. Despite the uncertainty of the application process, the Cardano Foundation disclosed that it will use its own financial resources to pursue the gTLD with ICANN.
The team noted that the application fees for the two gTLD Applications will cost approximately $700,000, with annual fixed costs of around $350,000.
 
“While there is no guarantee of success in the gTLD application process, we strongly believe that it is a risk worth taking,” read an announcement by the Cardano Foundation.
The Cardano Foundation noted that the .ada and .cardano gTLDs will provide the ecosystem with a range of use cases. For starters, the gTLDs will ensure a competitive digital presence, improving trust and credibility for Cardano-based projects.
Furthermore, the team added that clinching the gTLDs will unlock innovations around bridging the Web2 and Web3 divide. Notably, the Cardano Foundation highlighted the potential for simplified wallet addresses, domain tokenization, and integration with decentralized identity solutions.
For increased transparency, the Cardano Foundation has pledged to regularly publish figures regarding the gTLD operations, with profits earmarked to support ecosystem activities.
To ensure that the move has the backing of the community, the Cardano Foundation launched an Info Action, encouraging members to vote on the proposal. Meanwhile, the buzz around the gTLDs has sent ADA prices surging by over 3% in the last 24 hours, braving a massive selloff by Cardano whales.