.hiv
| Introduced | August 2014 (general public) |
|---|---|
| TLD type | Generic top-level domain (gTLD) |
| Status | Active |
| Registry | Uniregistry |
| Intended use | HIV/AIDS awareness |
| Registration restrictions | None |
.hiv is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) proposed by the Berlin-based nonprofit dotHIV and owned by Uniregistry as of September 2014. It is the first open charitable gTLD and its ICANN designation states that the domain's operator is precluded from making a profit. Funds raised from .hiv domain sales will initially benefit projects to increase access to HIV/AIDS treatment in Rwanda, South Africa, Turkey, and the United States.
The top-level domain (TLD) was inspired by an anti-HIV/AIDS campaign by thjnk, a German advertising agency. A group of co-founders, including charity-experienced Carolin Silbernagl, thjnk's co-owner Michael Trautmann and creative director Philipp Kafkoulas, established dotHIV gemeinnütziger e.V. as a charitable association and applied for the .hiv TLD. Despite the global relevance of HIV/AIDS, dotHIV was the only applicant for the .hiv TLD. The charity signed a registration contract with ICANN in March 2014. Domains were made available for select companies and individuals during the July "sunrise" period, becoming generally available in August 2014. hiv became the first open charitable TLD and, according to one press release, "opens up a dedicated namespace that brings website owners together behind one goal: The end of AIDS".
In September 2015, dotHIV and Cayman Islands-based domain company Uniregistry jointly announced Uniregistry's acquisition of .hiv and accompanying plan to complete the change in ownership before World AIDS Day on December 1, 2015. One announcement read, "Today, Uniregistry takes over the lead in this unique journey to use a top-level domain to promote a social good. The dotHIV charity will continue its work for .hiv and focus on community support. The creative agency thjnk from Hamburg, Germany, longstanding partner of the initiative, will continue to work on behalf of the .hiv top-level domain, exploring new and existing opportunities for social change."
Uniregistry's acquisition of .hiv came after a planned auction for the gTLD was cancelled when no companies signed up to participate. The cancelled auction's reserve price had been $200,000. The price ultimately paid by Uniregistry in the private deal was not publicly disclosed.
The contract for .hiv with ICANN does not allow the extension operator to make a profit on the TLD. Before Uniregistry took over, visits to .hiv domains (even redirected ones) generated small donations of approximately one-tenth of a cent, made from dotHIV's general fund to a project fund. The company's general fund was the result of .hiv domain sales, which retailed for 150 euros. dotHIV hoped to direct 70 percent of its income from domain sales to the general fund. Domain sales also funded dotHIV's operations and the debt required to finance the .hiv application process and subsequent launch. According to Slate, dotHIV planned to reimburse "zero- or low-interest loans provided by business angels and the technology development fund of the city-state of Berlin that have allowed the charity to operate so far". Nonprofit organizations in the HIV/AIDS field are eligible to receive .hiv domains at no cost.
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