<p><strong>To date, no entity has trademarked word "Bitcoin" in the US.</strong> This means that it's highly unlikely that any US entity would file against your domains under the <a href="http://www.icann.org/en/help/dndr/udrp" rel="noreferrer">ICANN Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy</a>.</p>

<p>There was a <a href="http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&amp;state=4010:2umkik.2.5" rel="noreferrer">servicemark application for Bitcoin</a>, but it was abandoned in July 2011.</p>

<h3>Related trademark applications</h3>

<ul>
<li>Bitpay applied for <a href="http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&amp;state=4010:2umkik.2.4" rel="noreferrer">Merchant Solutions for the bitcoin currency</a> and <a href="http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&amp;state=4010:2umkik.2.3" rel="noreferrer">Bitcoin Merchant Solutions</a>, both also abandoned.</li>
<li><p>There is one for <a href="http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&amp;state=4010:2umkik.2.2" rel="noreferrer">Bitcoin appliance</a>, also abandoned.</p></li>
<li><p><a href="http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&amp;state=4010:2umkik.2.1" rel="noreferrer">Bitcoin Magazine</a> applied for a trademark, and it's still in processing.</p></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-01-31T02:57:14.633Z
Mt. Gox registered it. https://mtgox.com/press_release_20111014.html http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=128254.msg1365911#msg1365911
Stephen Gornick
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-01-27T22:01:47.603Z
2013-01-27T22:01:47.603Z
Colin Dean
<p>Is it legal to use bitcoin in a domain name? Not a sub domain, but in the main domain name.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-01-27T21:08:47.483Z
What do you mean 'in' a domain name? A domain name which contains the substring 'bitcoin'? Buying a domain name with bitcoin? Putting a bitcoin address on a website?
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-01-27T21:21:18.410Z
@PieterWuille like bitcoinShop.com so the main domain name has the word bitcoin in it not a subdomain like bitcoin.example.com
incoe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-01-27T21:22:23.017Z
Why would that be illegal? Is is not allowed to have a website with the name dollar in it?
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-01-27T21:27:57.337Z
@PieterWuille just wanted to make sure cause its based on MIT license and opensource but the name it self might be registered for some reason. Thanks for your help Pieter :))
incoe
<legal><domain-registering>
Is it legal to use bitcoin in a domain name?
incoe
# Is it legal to use bitcoin in a domain name?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-01-27)

Is it legal to use bitcoin in a domain name? Not a sub domain, but in the main domain name.

**Tags:** legal, domain-registering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What do you mean 'in' a domain name? A domain name which contains the substring 'bitcoin'? Buying a domain name with bitcoin? Putting a bitcoin address on a website?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 like bitcoinShop.com so the main domain name has the word bitcoin in it not a subdomain like bitcoin.example.com  
> **username_1**: Why would that be illegal? Is is not allowed to have a website with the name dollar in it?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 just wanted to make sure cause its based on MIT license and opensource but the name it self might be registered for some reason. Thanks for your help username_1 :))  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2013-01-27. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

**To date, no entity has trademarked word "Bitcoin" in the US.** This means that it's highly unlikely that any US entity would file against your domains under the [ICANN Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy](http://www.icann.org/en/help/dndr/udrp).

There was a [servicemark application for Bitcoin](http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4010:2umkik.2.5), but it was abandoned in July 2011.

### Related trademark applications

* Bitpay applied for [Merchant Solutions for the bitcoin currency](http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4010:2umkik.2.4) and [Bitcoin Merchant Solutions](http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4010:2umkik.2.3), both also abandoned.
* There is one for [Bitcoin appliance](http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4010:2umkik.2.2), also abandoned.
* [Bitcoin Magazine](http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4010:2umkik.2.1) applied for a trademark, and it's still in processing.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Mt. Gox registered it. https://mtgox.com/press_release_20111014.html http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=128254.msg1365911#msg1365911  

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