.Meow TLD Selects CORE Backend, Crowdfunding and Compliance Hurdles Emerge

The dotMeow Foundation, a Belgian nonprofit that raised €122,000 through Kickstarter to apply for the .meow top-level domain, has selected CORE as its registry services provider. The organization aims to promote social inclusion and empowerment for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Crowdfunding for a new TLD is rare, and the foundation's accepted into ICANN's Applicant Support Program will reduce its application fee by 75% and provide reduced fees for the first three years of operation. Despite the support, the foundation's board is lending money to cover remaining costs.

Tax and Compliance Complexities

The foundation's latest project update reveals that finishing the ICANN application is being held up by financial documentation requirements. Crowdfunding, the group said, creates complicated tax and accounting obligations. The foundation must gather the documents ICANN requires to prove financial stability and source of funds.

• Crowdfunding receipts and donor records must be reconciled with Belgian tax authorities before submission to ICANN.
• The foundation's base in Belgium adds NIS2 compliance work. Belgium's implementation of the EU's NIS2 Directive requires all registry operators to comply, with no small-operator exemption.
• The registry plans to become NIS2-compliant before delegation, adding further administrative overhead.
• CORE, the selected backend provider, will handle technical registry operations, including DNS, zone management, and billing.

Broader Implications for Applicant Support Program

The .meow case highlights the gap between ICANN's fee reduction and the real-world costs of launching a TLD. Even with a 75% fee discount, the foundation must navigate national regulations, third-party vendor contracts, and donor relations. ICANN's Applicant Support Program has seen limited uptake in previous rounds, partly because of these hidden barriers.

Separately, a UDRP case involving PlanetHarvest.com resulted in a finding of Reverse Domain Name Hijacking. The complainant, Planet Harvest LLC, filed after failing to buy the domain from a registrant who held it for 24 years prior to the trademark. The panel found the complaint was brought in bad faith. The outcome reinforces that UDRP is not a tool for forced sales.