Bluesky seeks its own internet domain suffix, “.bsky”
Bluesky's CEO revealed the company has applied to ICANN to create a “.bsky” domain suffix that would let users shorten their handles into cleaner domain names. The process could take up to two years, and Bluesky says it won't sell or monetize the domains.
Bluesky CEO Toni Schneider announced on Monday that the social media company has formally applied to establish “.bsky” as a new internet domain suffix, placing it alongside existing suffixes like .com and .org. Should the application be approved, users would gain the ability to convert their current, longer social handles into shorter, cleaner domain names. A handle currently written as “@username.bsky.social” could eventually become simply “username.bsky.”
Such a change could also open the door for Bluesky to rethink what a user profile looks like — moving beyond a basic page showing a bio and posts toward something closer to a full personal homepage that represents someone's broader online presence.
A lengthy approval process
Schneider was clear that the application has not yet been approved. ICANN, the nonprofit organization responsible for overseeing internet domain names, is set to publish the full list of new domain applications on October 7, 2026, with Bluesky's request included among them. Schneider noted the entire approval process is expected to take 18 to 24 months to complete.
When contacted, Bluesky confirmed to TechCrunch that it has not yet finalized the specifics of how “.bsky” domains would be requested, registered, or distributed among users. The company did, however, make clear that it has no intention of selling or otherwise monetizing the domains — a notable stance, since domain registration is typically a lucrative business that could have offered a revenue stream for a startup that has raised substantial funding but does not currently generate advertising revenue.
Bluesky COO Rose Wang explained that selling domains would conflict with the company's commitment to an open web. She stated that domains represent a key part of the open web because they let users control their own online identity, adding that Bluesky was founded on the principle that people should own their online presence rather than rent it from a platform capable of taking it away at any time.
