.asia is the regional extension for the Asia-Pacific, a single address for businesses that trade with, operate in or are building a presence across the region. It was delegated in 2007, it's run by a not-for-profit for the Pan-Asian community, and owners must have or be seeking a connection with the region.
PD Hosting is a UK company and Nominet accredited registrar based in London. By registering, you confirm that connection; your .asia is then registered, shown in your client area and covered by our renewal reminders. Search for a name below.
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What is a .asia domain?
- Type
- Sponsored generic top-level domain for a regional community, delegated on 2 May 2007. Source
- Registry
- DotAsia Organisation, a not-for-profit, under a June 2019 agreement with ICANN. Source
- Community
- The Pan-Asia and Asia Pacific community, using ICANN's Asia/Australia/Pacific region as the boundary. Source
- Who may register
- Owners must attest that they have established, or are seeking, a relationship and presence in the region; alternatively, an administrative contact with a postal address there satisfies the rule. Source
- Registration period
- Terms run from a year to a decade. Source
- Owner email
- Following registration or any edit to contact details, a .asia owner must confirm their email address for us; if they haven't within 15 days, the domain is suspended. Source
- Transfers
- Uses the domain's authorisation code. Source
Facts checked against the registry on 9 November 2026.
Who a .asia domain suits
.asia suits organisations that look east: a British exporter selling into Singapore, Japan and Australia, a recruitment agency placing staff in Hong Kong, a travel company specialising in South-East Asia, a university's regional campus, or an Asia-based business that wants one address for customers in many countries rather than a separate national domain for each.
Trade bodies, regional conferences and investment funds focused on the Asia-Pacific also use it, as do brands protecting their name in a market where they're expanding.
- A regional website for Asia-Pacific customers
- Export and trade promotion for the region
- Regional events, conferences and trade bodies
- Protecting a brand name before entering Asian markets
Benefits of a .asia domain
One address for a whole region
Instead of separate national domains for each market, one .asia can introduce your business to customers from Japan to Australia.
A clear regional message
The ending tells visitors your site serves the Asia-Pacific, which helps a UK firm show it's committed to the region.
Surpluses reinvested in the region
The registry's charter commits it to a not-for-profit model that reinvests surpluses in technology initiatives for the Pan-Asian community.
The Asia-Pacific connection rule, explained
.asia is a community extension, and its agreement with ICANN defines that community as the Pan-Asia and Asia Pacific region, using ICANN's own Asia/Australia/Pacific geographic boundaries. The United Kingdom isn't in that region, so a UK business needs a connection with it.
The rule is lighter than many people assume. Since August 2023 the registry no longer collects a separate eligibility contact. Instead, the owner attests that they have established, or are seeking, a relationship and presence in the region. A UK exporter with distributors in Malaysia, a firm opening an office in Sydney, or a company actively pursuing customers in Korea can all make that declaration honestly. Another route is to have an administrative contact with a postal address in the region.
When you register a .asia, you make that declaration as part of the registration. Make sure it's true: third parties can challenge a registration that doesn't meet the eligibility rule through the registry's Charter Eligibility Dispute Resolution Policy, and a successful challenge can cost you the name.
.asia pros and cons
Works well if
- You trade with, or are expanding into, the Asia-Pacific
- You want one regional address rather than many national ones
- The .com of your brand belongs to someone else
Look elsewhere if
- You have no link with the region and no plans for one: you can't honestly make the declaration
- Your customers are in one Asian country: that country's own ending may feel more local
- Your business is UK-focused: .co.uk is clearer
.asia compared with similar extensions
| Extension | Best for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| .asia | Businesses serving the Asia-Pacific | Regional, with a light connection rule. |
| .com | Worldwide audiences | Global and familiar; says nothing about region. |
| .global | Firms present in many continents | International without a regional focus. |
| .tokyo | Businesses focused on Tokyo | A city ending for a single market. |
Register your .asia domain
- Search for the name you want below.
- Add it to your basket and choose how many years to register it for.
- Check out. Your domain is registered straight away and appears in your client area, ready to point at your website and email.
Every domain includes DNS management, DNS backup and restore, and free mail forwarding.
.asia questions
I'm based in Britain: am I allowed a .asia?
Yes, if it has, or is seeking, a relationship and presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Exporters, firms with regional partners and companies expanding there can all qualify. You confirm this when you register.
Which countries count as Asia-Pacific for .asia?
The registry uses ICANN's Asia/Australia/Pacific region as its boundary. It stretches well beyond East Asia, taking in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands as well as South and Central Asia.
Does a .asia help me rank in Asian countries?
Not directly. Google treats .asia as a generic domain rather than a country code, so it gives no country signal. To reach a particular market, publish content in the local language and set up international targeting on the site.
What does a .asia cost to keep after year one?
Keeping a .asia for another year costs £23.95 with us, above the discounted first-year price, so budget for the renewal figure from year two.
Can someone take my .asia away from me?
Only if you don't meet the rules. A third party can challenge a .asia whose owner has no genuine connection with the region, and a successful challenge can transfer or cancel it. Keep your declaration accurate and your contact details up to date.
Sources: IANA .asia record · ICANN .asia registry agreement (Specification 12) · DotAsia advisory on Charter Eligibility (July 2023) · ICANN Registrar Accreditation Agreement (WHOIS Accuracy Program Specification)
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