By Gabe Bonifacio
In 2015, Barclays Bank, a leading multinational banking corporation, became one of the first financial institutions to utilize its .BRAND TLDs as its primary corporate domains. The switch from .COM and their native .CO.UK TLDs to .BARCLAYS and .BARCLAYCARD provided multiple utilities for the company, including unique brand name engagement, authenticity signaling, and a public embrace of digital innovation.
Barclays’ corporate homepage hosted on home.barclays
The launch of home.barclays and home.barclaycard immediately signaled to users that they were interacting with trusted, secure, and authentic Barclays platforms. Simultaneously, these names provided a region-free, universal touchpoint with the Barclays name anchoring these interactions. Other global brands, such as Fage International (home.fage) and Canon Inc. (global.canon), have embraced the same use of their .BRANDs as the centerpiece to their digital identities, showing this use case extends beyond the financial sector.
Barclays’ move to their .BRAND TLDs also serves as a way to insulate their online banking platforms with the highest levels of security. By eliminating reliance on third-party systems, the TLDs enabled the company to tailor its domain security systems not only to meet industry standards but also to incorporate additional considerations for financial service customers. Several other banking corporations have used their .BRANDs as their primary domain and while leveraging their TLDs’ security benefits, such as BNP Paribas (group.bnpparibas) and the State Bank of India (bank.sbi), among others.
Bayclays’ Investment Bank page hosted on ib.barclays
In a broader sense, the change also demonstrated Barclays’ willingness to innovate and embrace new technologies, with the ultimate goal of improving user experience. As everyday interactions become more digitized, changes such as these can signal a corporation’s willingness to invest back into its consumer base, with the results being mutually beneficial.
The Next Round for new gTLD applications opens in late April 2026. If your company or organization is interested in applying for a .BRAND TLD, contact us today. Our expert team is prepared to discuss the end-to-end process of application, delegation, and operation of your very own new gTLD, ensuring informed and strategic decision-making for every step along the way.