ICANN has revealed the strings applied for in its 2026 new gTLD round.
Among them are names such as .agent, .wallet, .bitcoin, .crypto and .agi.
Interestingly, these top level names already exist on the Handshake blockchain!
Below I’ve created a table that includes ten of the most desirable Handshake names that now overlap, or closely intersect, with strings being pursued through ICANN.
| Handshake name | Registered on Handshake | On Handshake Since | ICANN 2026 applicants | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| agent/ | Yes | 2020 | OpenAI, Charleston Road Registry (Google), Meta Registry Holdings, Radix, XYZ.COM and others | 13 |
| agi/ | Yes | Pre-2026 | OpenAI, Radix, ShortDot, Zero Gravity Labs and others | 7 |
| crypto/ | Yes | 2020 | XYZ.COM, Radix, Intercap Registry, ECHO Domain, Bird Pepper | 5 |
| wallet/ | Yes | 2020 | Radix, Intercap Registry, Registry Services, Vinyl Strings | 4 |
| chain/ | Yes | Pre-2026 | Link Freedom Group, Registry Services, Tidal Case | 3 |
| coin/ | Yes | Pre-2026 | Link Freedom Group, Radix, Pirin Tablet | 3 |
| token/ | Yes | Pre-2026 | ECHO Domain, Glass Emotion, Link Freedom Group | 3 |
| bitcoin/ | Yes | 2020 | Bird Pepper, Wiz & Associates | 2 |
| btc/ | Yes | 2024 | Link Freedom Group, Mystic Hammer | 2 |
| x/ | Yes | 2020 | Not applicable under ICANN's one-character ASCII requirements | — |
How to read this table
“Registered on Handshake” simply means that the top level name already exists on the Handshake blockchain and is under current ownership or control.
It doesn’t mean that the name is being used as a website, resolving publicly, or operating as a second level registry.
The purpose of this comparison is simply to show that these names already exist within the Handshake naming system while companies are now applying through ICANN for the same or equivalent strings within the traditional DNS.
The ICANN applicant information reflects the strings disclosed on Reveal Day, 7 October 2026.
⚪️ These are only ten examples. There are many other established and desirable Handshake names that could also appear in future ICANN applications or become part of the same naming overlap. For this article, I’ve limited the comparison to ten of the most notable names.
⚪️ Handshake and ICANN remain two separate naming systems.
⚪️ The overlap between them is now easier to see.
Own The Name | Own The Rules | Own The Dot.