All TLDs / .taobao

What is .taobao?

The short answer
.taobao is a brand top-level domain, operated by Alibaba Group Holding Limited. It's a “dot-brand” registry (ICANN Spec 13) — reserved for the operator's own use, so it isn't open for the public to register. It's live in the official IANA DNS root zone.
Type
Brand (dot-brand)
Registration
Closed (brand)
In DNS root
Yes
Operator
Alibaba Group Holding Limited

Source: IANA root zone database, checked October 18, 2026.

Is .taobao a real domain extension?

Yes — .taobao is a real top-level domain. It's present in the official IANA DNS root zone, which is the authoritative list of every live TLD on the internet.

Who runs .taobao?

.taobao is operated by Alibaba Group Holding Limited, per the IANA root database.

What is .taobao used for?

.taobao is a dot-brand registry — it's reserved for Alibaba Group Holding Limited and isn't used for third-party websites.

Can anyone register a .taobao domain?

No. .taobao is a closed brand registry, so it isn't available for public registration. A registrar search will confirm the current policy for any specific name.