The Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) serves as a central repository for verified trademarks in the domain name system. It is primarily used for two key purposes:
Sunrise Period Access: TMCH enables trademark holders to participate in the Sunrise Period of new generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs). During this exclusive phase, trademark owners have priority access to register domain names that match their verified trademarks before the domains are made available to the general public.
Trademark Claims Service: TMCH provides a Trademark Claims Service that alerts both trademark owners and potential domain registrants when someone tries to register a domain matching a trademark in the clearinghouse. This service helps prevent potential infringement by notifying registrants of existing trademark rights, allowing them to acknowledge and understand the associated risks.
In essence, TMCH acts as a safeguard, offering trademark holders an early opportunity to secure their brand in the expanding domain landscape and providing a mechanism to alert parties about potential conflicts during the domain registration process.