Episode Overview

Podcast: Everything Everywhere Daily
Host: Gary Arndt
Episode: Top-Level Domain Names
Date: October 6, 2025

This episode delves into the fascinating world of top-level domain names (TLDs)—the suffixes at the end of every web address, such as .com, .org, and .net. Gary explains the surprising history, organization, and economic impact of TLDs, highlighting how some obscure or fortunate countries have struck digital gold. The episode explores how TLDs are assigned, why so many exist, and how they matter far beyond the average user’s expectation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Are Top-Level Domains? (03:09)

• Definition: TLDs are the highest level in the Internet's domain name system hierarchy; common examples include .com, .org, and country codes like .uk or .us.
• Prevalence: Most internet users encounter only a handful, but "there are between 1,400 and 1,500 top-level domain names" (03:50).

2. Types of TLDs

• Generic TLDs: Examples include .com, .org, .gov, .edu
• Country Code TLDs: Two-letter codes based on ISO standards, e.g., .uk, .ru, .cn

3. Origins: From Post-WWII to the Internet (04:55)

• The need for naming consistency was recognized after WWII, with the establishment of international standards organizations.
• The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) was created in 1947 to develop such standards.
• ISO 3166, established in 1974, was crucial: “It established two-letter and three-letter codes as concise identifiers for all countries and territories.” (06:43)

4. The ISO List and Domain Names (08:00)

• TLDs adopted the ISO’s two-letter country code list to avoid making political decisions about what counts as a “country.”
• This allowed the Internet to sidestep controversies: “Instead, they just adopted the ISO list of two letter country codes. By doing so they just let the ISO, a neutral third party, deal with the problem.” (09:19)

5. Evolution of TLDs and ICANN’s Role (10:21)

• Originally, only a few generic TLDs existed.
• ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) took over management in 1998.
• New TLDs were repeatedly added, such as .info, .biz, .museum, and later, many more.
• Explosion of TLDs: “In 2012 they vastly increased the number of top level domains by allowing organizations to bid on their own TLDs.” (12:52)

6. The Business of TLDs: How Much Do They Cost? (14:18)

• “The current fee for a custom top level domain is an upfront payment of $185,000 and then a fixed annual fee of $25,000 as well as a variable fee of $0.25 per domain registration under the TLD.” (14:23)
• Some TLDs drew high acquisition prices:
  • .app sold for $25 million
  • .shop for $41.5 million
  • .web for $135 million

7. Country TLDs: Digital Treasure Troves (16:28)

• Tuvalu (.tv):
  • “Tuvalu granted exclusive .tv rights to commercial partners in deals that delivered tens of millions of dollars to the government and transformed a tiny national asset into a major source of governmental revenue.” (17:05)
  • "TV royalties accounted for a huge share of national income in the late 2010s and early 2020s.” (18:04)
• Micronesia (.fm):
  • Capitalized on the global use of FM for radio stations, earning $2–$4 million/year.
• Tokelau (.tk):
  • Allowed free domain registration, resulting in “explosive growth in numbers” but also significant abuse through spam and phishing. (19:20)
• Anguilla (.ai):
  • Benefited tremendously from the artificial intelligence boom: “There were fewer than 200,000 registered just two years ago, and given current trends, there should be about a million in 2026.” (21:40)
  • “In 2025, it's estimated to be just under 50%” of government revenues, up from 5% in 2022. (22:01)

8. Oddities and Missed Opportunities (23:05)

• Some TLDs have millions of registrations but are mainly used for spam (e.g., .top, .loan, .xyz).
• Surprisingly, there is no top-level domain for “.pod” or “.podcast.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the staggering number of TLDs in existence:
  • “Depending on how you define it, there are between 1,400 and 1,500 top-level domain names and most of us only recognize a small handful of these.” (03:47)
• On the crucial role of standards in postwar globalization:
  • “One of the problems that was addressed in the postwar period was standards. Standards are vital in any industry or system that has a multinational reach.” (05:36)
• On Tuvalu’s windfall:
  • “Tuvalu has a population of slightly less than 10,000 people, and having been there, I can tell you that the country is basically a village.” (17:52)
• On how the meaning of TLDs can evolve:
  • “Every country, no matter how big or how small, has its own top level domain. ... Some have utilized their TLDs as a significant source of revenue.” (16:28)
• On Anguilla’s recent fortune:
  • “Anguilla's TLD just so happens to be .ai. With the rise of artificial intelligence companies, there has been a corresponding increase in companies interested in acquiring .ai domain names.” (21:31)
• On the missed opportunity for podcasts:
  • “Oddly enough, there is no top-level domain name for ‘.pod’ or ‘.podcast’, which seems like a massive oversight to me.” (23:10)
• On owning your own TLD:
  • “If anyone out there has $185,000 burning a hole in their pocket and is willing to pony up another 25 grand every year, you too can have your own very own top level domain name.” (23:42)

Important Timestamps

• 03:09 — Introduction to the domain name system & TLDs
• 04:55 — Post-WWII standardization and the rise of ISO
• 06:43 — Creation of ISO 3166 and its global impact
• 08:00–09:19 — TLDs and political neutrality via ISO country codes
• 10:21–12:52 — Evolution of TLDs, ICANN’s establishment, and the explosion of new domains
• 14:18 — The high cost and competition for new TLDs
• 16:28–18:04 — Tuvalu’s .tv and other small countries turning TLDs into revenue
• 19:20 — The Tokelau (.tk) experiment and global abuse
• 21:31–22:01 — Anguilla’s .ai windfall in the age of artificial intelligence
• 23:05–23:42 — TLD oddities, unused categories, and the possibility to buy your own

Summary & Takeaways

Gary Arndt's episode on top-level domain names serves as both an Internet history lesson and an exploration of digital economics. TLDs, while often overlooked by everyday users, represent a massive and evolving catalog shaped by international politics, technical standards, and modern business interests. Some tiny countries have found their digital stars aligning—transforming obscure domain suffixes into the backbone of their national finances. And as for the enterprising listener, a personal TLD could be just $185,000 and a few annual payments away.

For more engaging stories about the hidden intricacies of the modern (and ancient) world, tune in to Everything Everywhere Daily.