On May 22, 2014, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) said the trademark domain name would be included in the global root domain name system (DNS). This shows that it will be officially used as part of a domain name and open for global registration and application.

As the gTLD with intellectual property characteristics of domain name with Chinese suffix “.商标” on the global Internet, the incorporation of the trademark domain name into root domain has historical significance. This shows the beginning of global online right protection of trademark owners.

The trademark domain name can make the trademarks be properly protected and applied on the Internet, demonstrate the brand’s value and rights, guide consumers to identify goods and services with the trademark on the Internet, prevent the infringement, imitation and fraud conducted by illicit competitors in the goal of selling low quality or fake goods and services, and protect the rights of consumers, users, manufacturers and sellers.

The competition of online intellectual property is the tendency in future. Trademarks are no longer used solely to differentiate similar products in real world, but more important, the credit relied on their wide application online and offline.

Owning such a domain name, the same as marking ® for the trademark on the Internet, means the trademark has been successfully registered and is exclusive to the owner on the Internet. It is the important brand resource, element and symbol for any people, business and organization on the Internet.

That the trademark domain name becomes a symbol differentiating similar products and services on the Internet makes brand trademarks spread fast and wide and improves the protection of offline trademarks. Also, it can enhance the popularity and reputation of offline brands on the Internet, and is an intangible property of higher value showing that the online products and services have higher quality and image.

With the paralleled protection of trademark rights and domain name rights, the trademark domain name is a brand symbol that protects the intellectual property. It declares not only the right, credibility, identification and defensiveness of trademarks, but also the uniqueness, exclusiveness and safety of domain name as a resource.

It is only open to those who have already owned or apply for a trademark, allowing them to register and use the domain names composed of the characters, letters and figures identical or related to their offline trademarks or their combination. This can guarantee that the trademark domain name is registered and used by the offline trademark owner, and that the site users are visiting the authentic site of the trademark owner, but not fraudulent or phishing site, protecting the legitimate rights of trademark owners and consumers. Hence the trademark domain name is regarded as the most trustworthy names on the Internet.

Owning a good trademark domain name means a potential good E-market. Losing the brand resources on the Internet is like losing the online competitiveness and the future growing space.

Experience tells that in the E-business era, we are standing on the same starting line to get brand resources.