.XXX Prices Slashed To .COM Prices In May - 3 May, 2013, 12:28 pm

ICM Registry, the registry for .xxx domain names, has announced the prices for TLD will be slashed to as low as $8.99 for registrations for up to ten years during the month of May.

The registry is promoting this as the prices being slashed to .com prices.

“With both Search.xxx and XXX.XXX showcasing and driving traffic to developed .xxx sites, together with the recent launch of the Search.xxx ad platform, there is a growing awareness of the value of the .xxx domain,” said CEO of ICM Registry, Stuart Lawley.

The reduction comes about following the settling of a lawsuit between two online porn operators, The Verge reported.

“The lawsuit was filed by Manwin, the owner of a suite of adult websites including Brazzers and YouPorn, and was targeting alleged anticompetitive practices by ICM Registry, which controls .xxx names. ICM normally sells the domains for $60, and Manwin has been saying, in part, that these unusually high prices hurt competition. Though ICM doesn’t admit to any wrongdoing, the settlement will allow Manwin to save some amount of money when registering its host of adult websites on the .xxx domain.”

Announcing the price reduction, ICM also announced their commitment to protecting existing .xxx registrants should the company be successful with applications for TLDs they have applied to ICANN for.

If awarded all or any of these new TLDs, .sex, .porn and/or .adult, ICM Registry will offer a “grandfathering” clause and will automatically reserve matching names at no additional cost to those who already have .xxx domains. Existing .xxx registrants can chose to do nothing and the matching names will never be released under the new TLD suffixes. If however, registrants choose to register the new names for use, there will be a nominal fee. This means .xxx domain holders can potentially quadruple their exposure and the value of their holdings, while brand and trademark holders who own or have reserved .xxx domain names are automatically protected and will not have to register or reserve those names in the new TLDs.

The registry also wants registrants to feel any .xxx domains are safe as each .xxx website is malware scanned to protect both website operators and consumers. Every .xxx site also comes with a MetaCert electronic Family Safety label making it easier for users, organizations and parents to adjust their browser settings to restrict access to websites that are clearly labelled as potentially adult oriented content.

“Our goal is to serve the adult industry by continually creating new initiatives and platforms that increase the inherent value of each .XXX website,” said Lawley.