It’s all about domains with… Jan Corstens

The expansion of the internet’s namespace has been a double‑edged sword for brands. New gTLDs unlocked innovation, differentiation, and consumer choice—but they also multiplied the places where trademarks can be copied, confused, or abused. From missed priority registrations to costly enforcement, every gap in coverage risks eroding hard‑won brand equity.

Enter the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH)—ICANN’s central rights‑protection mechanism designed for the new gTLD era. By validating trademarks in a single, authoritative database, the TMCH gives brand owners proactive Sunrise access and reactive Trademark Claims alerts when matching domains are attempted. Beyond launch phases, Ongoing Notifications extend the value with continuing intelligence—now spanning variants and popular legacy TLDs—to help teams monitor and act efficiently. Above all, in light of the coming 2026 new gTLD program, the TMCH remains the foundational tool for securing digital identity at scale.

Guiding this engine of trust is Jan Corstens, the Deloitte partner who has overseen TMCH’s global operations since 2012. A fixture in the ICANN community since 2008, Jan brings 25+ years of experience in complex operational programs and third‑party risk management. As Validation Provider lead for the TMCH, he’s helped translate policy into a reliable process—supporting brand owners through feasibility assessments, business impact analyses, and day‑to‑day verification at internet scale. His broader work spans CxO engagements across EMEA, long‑standing partnerships in technology, media & telecommunications, and deep credentials in assurance (CISA) and communication technology.

In this conversation, Jan explains how the TMCH protects brands in the namespace—and how it’s evolving for tomorrow. Let’s dive in!

1Why was the TMCH created, and what challenges in the DNS and trademark space was it designed to solve?

The Trademark Clearinghouse (or in short: TMCH) was created in light of the launch of the new gTLD Program in 2012 to offer trademark owners, who made a substantial investment into creating and maintaining their brands, a means to better protect their intellectual property (IP) in this enlarged name space.

As businesses navigated this expanded digital landscape, it became clear that while opportunities abounded, so too did challenges. Despite the many opportunities new gTLDs offer in terms of innovation, differentiation, and more consumer choice, they also come with risks that need to be mitigated to ensure a clean online identity. Designed by and for the internet community, the TMCH offers a cost-effective solution equipped with essential tools to support online brand protection, addressing both proactive and reactive needs.

What is the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH)?

The Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) is a centralized database established to protect trademark rights in the DNS. It serves as a global repository of validated trademarks, enabling trademark holders to safeguard their intellectual property during domain name registration processes.

Goals

• Mitigate trademark infringement and abuse in the DNS.
• Simplify and streamline the process for trademark owners to protect their brands globally.
• Support fair competition in the evolving domain landscape while reducing legal disputes.

The TMCH was developed in response to the growing challenges of protecting brand identities amidst the rapid expansion of new gTLDs introduced by ICANN. It plays a critical role in promoting trust and accountability in the domain name ecosystem.

2What are the key steps for a trademark owner to successfully enroll their mark in the TMCH?

It all starts with having a registered trademark that holds at least national or multi-national protection. The trademark can be registered in any official IP office worldwide, and we accept all languages and scripts.

Additionally, it is possible to register a mark protected under a treaty or statute, such as geographical indications and designations of origin, or a mark validated by a court. This includes marks validated through judicial proceedings at the national level, such as unregistered common law marks or well-known marks.

• Specific information needs to be submitted in our platform regarding this mark, which is validated with the intel from the IP offices/treaty or statute/court case – and evaluated on accuracy and completeness.
• To benefit from the Sunrise service, brand owners also have to provide evidence of the effective use of their trademark towards the public, such as a product picture, labels, marketing material, flyers, etc.
• Registering with the TMCH is easy, you reach out to your TMCH agent such as InterNetX, and they manage the filing for you!

3What are key advantages of the TMCH during the Sunrise and Claims periods of new gTLD launches?

TMCH plays a critical role in helping trademark owners safeguard their intellectual property and maintain exclusive rights during these crucial phases.

These are the primary benefits provided by TMCH during each period:

Sunrise access: TMCH serves as the sole provider of validation tokens, granting trademark holders exclusive access to secure their preferred domain names during the priority registration period (known as the Sunrise Period) when a new gTLD is introduced. This mandatory period lasts for at least 30 days for every new generic domain extension going live.

Trademark Claims Notifications: Once your trademark is verified by TMCH, any domain name registrant attempting to register a domain that includes your trademark will receive a warning notice about the potential trademark infringement. This process minimizes unintentional abuse while enabling trademark owners to focus more effectively on addressing legitimate cases of infringement. Notifications are also sent to brand owners if the registration proceeds despite the warning.

4What additional value does the TMCH provide beyond the Sunrise and Claims periods?

The TMCH offers an Ongoing Notifications service, designed specifically for trademark owners to continue deriving value from TMCH even after the Claims period has ended. This service is available for as long as your trademark remains verified with TMCH and provides timely notifications about domain name activity involving your trademark. It also includes variant coverage (free of charge) and extends to a broader range of TLDs, including popular extensions such as .com. Many TMCH clients use this information feed to enhance their monitoring efforts, complementing their existing brand protection strategies.

Difference between the TMCH and the UDRP

The Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) and the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) are two distinct mechanisms within the DNS that address trademark protection and domain name disputes. While they share a goal of mitigating trademark abuse, they differ significantly in their purpose, function, and application.

While the TMCH focuses on trademark protection during domain name registration, the UDRP provides a dispute resolution process for addressing trademark-related conflicts arising after domain registration. Both are complementary tools in the broader effort to safeguard intellectual property in the domain space.

Key differences overview

Aspect	TMCH	UDRP
Timing	Proactive (during registration).	Reactive (after domain misuse occurs).
Purpose	Prevention of trademark infringement.	Resolution of domain name disputes.
Function	Trademark database, sunrise services, claims notices.	Arbitration process for resolving disputes.
Outcome	Alerts and early registration opportunities.	Binding decisions on domain ownership.
Scope	Applies primarily to new gTLDs.	Applies to all TLDs governed by UDRP rules.

5 What specific risks do trademark holders face if they do not register their marks with the TMCH?

Trademark holders must carefully consider the potential consequences of not registering their marks with the TMCH. Failure to do so may expose their brands to risks that can undermine both protection and digital strategy, particularly in the evolving landscape of new gTLDs.

Key risks include:

1. Missing the opportunity to obtain a preferred domain name before general release, resulting in lost chances to secure a brand early and prevent infringement. Domain registrations may be used proactively or defensively, ensuring others cannot misuse or appropriate them.
2. Registrants not being alerted during the Claims period when attempting to register a domain name that includes a trademark, leading to unnecessary enforcement actions that consume valuable time, money, and resources.
3. Losing access to cost-effective TMCH data feeds (standalone or integrated into monitoring tools) that provide valuable insights into domain name activity across both new gTLDs and legacy TLDs. This also includes the ability to add trademark variants at no additional cost.
4. Ineligibility to purchase certain blocking products, such as AbuseShield and AdultBlock, which are restricted to TMCH-verified trademarks.
5. Being unable to apply for and secure a personalized .brand extension in the upcoming application round opening in April 2026—an increasingly valuable asset for digital strategy and brand identity.

6 With the launch of the new gTLD program in 2026, how is the TMCH expected to evolve in response to the expanded domain namespace? What steps should trademark holders take now to maximize the benefits of TMCH services in preparation for this shift?

The upcoming 2026 gTLD program presents brand owners with opportunities and challenges:

1. Securing a .brand TLD – Owning a dedicated .brand domain enables organizations to distinguish themselves in the marketplace, while also enhancing security and maintaining full control over their digital identity. Registration with the TMCH is a prerequisite for applying for such a TLD.
2. Protecting IP in new gTLDs – The introduction of new gTLDs offers the chance to acquire valuable domain names that may have previously been unavailable, while also ensuring protection against potential misuse. The TMCH centralizes and consolidates data across all new gTLDs, giving brand owners a comprehensive view of how their marks are being used—or misused—across the evolving domain landscape.

It is also worth noting that around 90 gTLDs from the 2012 program have yet to be launched. By registering their marks with the TMCH now, brand owners can still take advantage of these upcoming launches, while positioning themselves strategically for the 2026 expansion.

Looking ahead, the TMCH is also exploring ways to extend its coverage into the ccTLD space. Since domains under ccTLDs remain widely adopted by both legitimate brands and cybersquatters, incorporating this space into the TMCH offering would further strengthen the value of the service and expand the scope of brand protection.

7 What role will the TMCH play in supporting brand owners and industry stakeholders in the future?

The TMCH should be viewed as a central hub within the domain ecosystem—collecting, consolidating, and providing essential data to various channels across the supply chain. In this role, it delivers added value to brand owners by complementing other industry services, such as domain monitoring, blocking, and enforcement, and by enhancing the quality and scope of the intelligence available to them. Importantly, the Sunrise service remains a unique and exclusive feature of the TMCH, serving as a strategic tool for organizations to establish and maintain their digital identity.

Beyond this operational role, the TMCH also acts as a spokesperson for the new gTLD program. It helps raise awareness of its opportunities and value for IP protection within the broader industry, ensuring that brand owners and stakeholders fully understand its importance. In this capacity, the TMCH is committed to fostering partnerships across the ecosystem—whether by launching joint marketing initiatives to highlight new gTLD opportunities, developing new offerings for its network, or collaborating with IP offices and associations to extend education and outreach to a wider audience.

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