Telegram has applied to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers for the .gram top level domain, a move that could allow its users to turn their existing Telegram usernames into personalized web addresses. Telegram founder Pavel Durov announced the application on August 18, saying that if the application is approved, more than one billion Telegram users could potentially receive second level addresses in the format username.gram. The proposal would extend Telegram beyond messaging and social communication by giving users a way to establish web identities connected to their existing accounts. The application is part of the 2026 round of ICANN’s New Generic Top Level Domain Program, which allows organizations to apply for new domain extensions.
Under the proposed system, a Telegram username could potentially become a corresponding .gram web address. For example, an account using a particular username could receive an address following the username.gram format if the application is approved and Telegram implements the service. Durov also said users could create interactive websites hosted by Telegram using a single prompt, suggesting that artificial intelligence could play a role in generating or configuring these pages. This could allow users without traditional web development knowledge to establish simple online spaces connected to their Telegram identities. The proposal could give creators, businesses and individual users another way to establish an online presence while keeping their existing Telegram username as the central identifier.
Telegram’s application comes after ICANN opened its 2026 New Generic Top Level Domain application period on April 30. The application window closed on August 12, with more than 1,600 primary applications reportedly submitted during the round. However, submitting an application does not mean that .gram has been approved. Applicants must go through ICANN’s evaluation process before a new domain extension can ultimately be delegated into the internet’s Domain Name System. ICANN’s official application schedule confirms that the 2026 application period ended on August 12, while details about individual applicants will become clearer as the evaluation process progresses.
If approved, the .gram domain could become another layer of Telegram’s broader digital ecosystem, connecting usernames, messaging accounts and web-based experiences. The proposed websites would reportedly be hosted through Telegram, meaning the service would remain closely connected to the platform rather than functioning like conventional independently registered domains. The company has not yet provided a complete technical framework for how ownership, registration, website creation or transfers would work. The application therefore remains subject to ICANN’s approval process, and there is no guarantee that .gram will become publicly available. For now, Telegram’s proposal represents an attempt to turn its large user base and existing username system into a wider web identity platform.
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