Directory >> Registries >> Repurposed ccTLD
Tonic, officially known as the Tonga Network Information Center, is the registry responsible for administering Tonga’s country-code top-level domain, .TO. Established in 1995,
Tonic began offering automated domain registration services in 1997. The initiative was spearheaded by American technologists Eric Gullichsen and Eric Lyons, in collaboration with Tonga's then-Crown Prince Tupouto'a. Operating from the Tongan consulate in San Francisco, Tonic capitalized on the global appeal of the .TO extension, which resonates with English prepositions and abbreviations, making it attractive for creative domain hacks and branding.
The .to domain peaked in popularity around 1999–2001 with over 50,000 registrations, driven by global interest in domain hacks. Since then, registrations have steadily declined, reaching around 26,000 by 2025. The drop is due to reduced novelty, lack of promotion, and limited local demand.
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