We have established a comprehensive range of data security features to ensure we operate as a secure and reliable registry and to keep .kiwi user data safe.  

We have also partnered with Architelos, one of the world’s leading Top Level Domain (TLD) management consultancies, to provide a robust abuse detection and mitigation service for our members via its NameSentry platform. NameSentry provides comprehensive, real-time global protection against potential online security threats, including phishing, malware and other abuse, that will enable us to act swiftly to mitigate any risks to .kiwi users.

If any individuals or groups employ a .kiwi domain for malicious uses, including spamming, phishing, denial-of-service attacks, or malware, our partnership with Architelos will enable us to take swift, direct action to resolve the situation and protect our users.

The TMCH works by verifying and storing trademark records in a database so new gTLD registries (like Dot Kiwi) can conduct legitimate Sunrise launches. The TMCH also provides services for owners of gLTDs (like .kiwi owners), including its Trademark Claims service that warns trademark holders if someone else registers a domain name that matches their trademark so they can take appropriate action.  

The TMCH protects ‘labels’ that are an identical match with your trademark. For example: ‘Dot Kiwi’ is a single ‘trademark’ but has three ‘labels’ protected by the TMCH: ‘Dot Kiwi’, ‘DotKiwi’, and ‘Dot-Kiwi’. You can include up to 10 labels when you register your trademark with the TMCH and you can choose to register for between one and five years with options to renew.

If you register your trademark through an official TMCH agent (such as Dot Kiwi) you may be eligible for a small discount on the TMCH registration fee, plus you’ll benefit from our assistance in ensuring your application is error-free and approved quickly. We have already worked successfully with many clients to validate all trademark information before it is submitted to ensure there are no delays or rejections.

To use Dot Kiwi as your official TMCH agent, please review your trademark information at www.iponz.govt.nz and contact us today. Once we’ve reviewed your info, we’ll ask you to submit a TMCH Signed Declaration as well as a single sample of Proof of Use (evidence that your trademark is being actively used). We will also confirm with you the cost of your application. Once we’ve got all your info sorted, we’ll ensure your application is successfully registered by the TMCH.

Your domain name gives your website an address on the internet. Domain names contain a Top Level Domain (TLD) and a Second-Level Domain (SLD).  

Here’s an example:



The SLD (‘welcome’) is the unique domain name you choose. The TLD (‘.kiwi’) is the generic group of domains your domain name belongs to.  

When you type your website address into your browser, however, the actual address your browser accesses is a series of numbers called an IP address. The DNS operates a bit like a massive phone book for the internet by translating user-friendly domain names into numerical IP addresses.

Here’s how the DNS works in more detail:

• When you type a domain name like dot-kiwi.com into your browser, it searches the internet for the numerical IP address that corresponds to that domain name. Not knowing where to find the IP address, it first goes to what is known as a Recursive Resolver.
   
• The Recursive Resolver consults a Root Server to find domain names ending in the relevant TLD, in this example ‘.com’. Root Servers hold the DNS information about TLDs like .com, .nz, and, eventually, .kiwi.
  
  
• Root Servers know the locations of the Name Servers that store the address information for the next level of domain names, the SLDs. In our example, the relevant Root Server will respond to the Recursive Resolver with the address of the Name Server that stores information on the .kiwi domain name containing the SLD ‘dot-kiwi’.
  
  
• The Recursive Resolver then approaches the relevant Name Server looking for an IP address for the website called ‘dot-kiwi.com’. The Name Server responds with the IP address, which in this case is ‘’.
  
  
• The Recursive Resolver then sends the IP address to your browser so it can request content from our website. And all of this happens within a fraction of a second.