It is now possible for non-Asian companies to apply to register .asia domain names. Proposals can be sent to the DotAsia Organisation, the .asia ccTLD's registry operator, appointed by ICANN.

The opportunity to register is as part of the Pioneer Domains Programme, which gives companies the chance to make an early claim for their trademark domain names. The .asia domain differs from many TLDs in that domain names are not assigned on a first-come, first-served basis; instead, the registry reviews companies' proposals for domain names and assigns them to those they believe will make a genuine contribution to the Asian online community.

Submitting a proposal requires a deposit of US$10,000, which will be refunded by DotAsia when the company fulfils the promises made in its proposal to the registry. In this way, DotAsia hopes to prevent misuse or bad faith registration of domain names.

The .asia domain registration name is aimed primarily at Pan-Asian and Asia-Pacific communities, but DotAsia explained that it is also open to those who wish to extend their market reach into the Asian region.

The Pioneer Domains Programme ends on 31st August.