ICANN85 Mumbai: What Domain Registrars Should Really Pay Attention To

TL;DR: ICANN85 in Mumbai didn’t introduce immediate policy changes for registrars, but it revealed where the domain industry is heading. DNS abuse mitigation policy work is gaining momentum and could eventually impose more structured obligations on registrars. The Registration Data Request Service (RDRS) is evolving and may influence how registrars handle lawful requests for non-public domain data. RDAP has now firmly replaced WHOIS as the foundation of registration data infrastructure. At the same time, a major commercial shift is emerging: large registrars like GoDaddy and Namecheap are increasingly monetizing distribution of new TLDs, with onboarding and potential annual partnership fees becoming part of the market reality.

ICANN85 Mumbai for domain registrars

ICANN’s 85th Public Meeting in Mumbai brought the global domain industry together just weeks before the next new gTLD application window opens in April 2026. Much of the public conversation revolved around the upcoming gTLD round, the Applicant Guidebook, and registry service providers. But for registrars, the more important signals were happening in parallel discussions across policy sessions, hallway conversations, and registry-registrar meetings.

From a registrar perspective, ICANN85 revealed three developments that could significantly shape registrar operations over the next few years: increasing policy pressure around DNS abuse, the evolution of the Registration Data Request Service (RDRS), and a growing commercial shift where large registrars are beginning to monetize distribution of new TLDs.

These developments are not necessarily headline announcements yet. But they represent trends every registrar operator should understand.

DNS Abuse Policy Work Is Moving Toward Registrars

One of the most active policy discussions around ICANN85 was the work happening under the DNS Abuse Mitigation PDP. While DNS abuse has been a long-standing topic in ICANN policy circles, the current work is moving toward a more structured framework that could eventually impact how registrars monitor and respond to abuse.

The discussion is focusing on issues such as identifying patterns of abuse across groups of domains, improving reporting mechanisms, and exploring automated ways to detect and respond to malicious activity. While no immediate compliance changes are being introduced, it is clear that the community is moving toward a more formalized policy structure around abuse mitigation.

For registrars, this means that abuse handling processes will likely become more standardized over time. Registrars that already maintain strong internal abuse response systems will be well positioned if new policy obligations eventually emerge.

The Registration Data Request Service Is Slowly Becoming a Policy Tool

Another topic that surfaced repeatedly in ICANN85 discussions is the continued development of the Registration Data Request Service, commonly referred to as RDRS.

RDRS was introduced as a voluntary mechanism to allow law enforcement, intellectual property holders, and other legitimate requestors to seek access to non-public domain registration data. Since the implementation of GDPR and the redaction of WHOIS data, the domain industry has been navigating how to balance privacy with legitimate access to registration data.

Several government and policy groups indicated during ICANN85 that they would like to see the RDRS system improved and potentially expanded. If this direction continues, it is possible that RDRS could eventually influence how registrars process disclosure requests in the future.

For registrars, the key takeaway is that the conversation around access to registration data is far from settled. Systems and workflows that support structured data request handling may become increasingly important.

RDAP Is Now the Foundation of Registration Data Infrastructure

Although this transition started several years ago, ICANN85 reinforced that RDAP has fully replaced WHOIS as the foundation of registration data access.

The shift to RDAP is significant because the protocol enables differentiated access levels, secure authentication, and structured data responses. This architecture allows ICANN and the broader community to build future data access frameworks on top of RDAP rather than the legacy WHOIS system.

For registrars, RDAP compliance is no longer simply a technical requirement. It is the infrastructure that future policy frameworks, including potential data disclosure systems, will rely upon.

A Quiet but Important Commercial Shift: Registrars Monetizing New TLD Distribution

Beyond policy discussions, one of the most interesting conversations happening around ICANN85 was not inside meeting rooms but among registry operators and industry participants.

Large retail registrars are increasingly beginning to charge new TLD operators for distribution and onboarding.

This is not an ICANN policy change. It is a commercial evolution in how the domain name market is functioning.

Registrars such as GoDaddy and Namecheap control enormous portions of the retail domain market. For many new TLD operators, getting listed on these platforms is essential for commercial success. Without visibility on major registrar platforms, it is extremely difficult for a new TLD to achieve meaningful adoption.

As a result, registrars are beginning to treat distribution as a commercial partnership rather than simply a technical integration.

In practice, this can involve onboarding fees for listing a new TLD, marketing partnership arrangements, promotional campaign costs, or other commercial agreements tied to visibility on the registrar platform.

Industry discussions suggest that some registrars are even exploring annual partnership models for maintaining distribution and marketing placement. If this trend continues, distribution could become a recurring cost for registry operators rather than a one-time integration step.

For registrars, this shift represents a significant change in the business model of the domain ecosystem. Registrars are no longer just retail channels; they are increasingly becoming strategic gatekeepers for new TLD adoption.

What This Means for Registrars Ahead of the 2026 New gTLD Round

The upcoming new gTLD application round will likely introduce hundreds of new extensions over the coming years. While much of the industry attention is focused on applicants and registry operators, registrars will play a central role in determining which TLDs actually reach the market.

Registrars will decide which TLDs to onboard, which ones to promote, and which ones receive visibility on their platforms. The commercial relationships between registries and registrars may become one of the defining factors in determining the success of new TLD launches.

At the same time, policy developments around DNS abuse and registration data access are continuing to evolve in the background. Registrars should keep a close eye on these discussions because they may eventually shape compliance expectations across the industry.

ICANN85 did not introduce dramatic new regulations for registrars. But it clearly highlighted the direction in which the domain industry is moving.

Registrars are becoming more powerful commercial players in the ecosystem, while policy discussions around security, abuse mitigation, and data access continue to mature.

For registrar operators, understanding both of these dynamics will be essential as the next phase of the domain industry unfolds.