DotAsia says that within the first 24 hours of Landrush opening, a total of 266,663 applications were received by the registry. Over 35 percent of applications came from Asia while 40 percent were from North America and 24 percent from Europe. Including Pre-Sunrise, Sunrise, Pioneer programs and the first day of Landrush, the total number of domain applications to date is 298,861, says the organization.

Unlike conventional 'first-come, first-served' processes, DotAsia says it is using a model that treats all applications received equally regardless of whether it was submitted on the first or last day of the Landrush period. For domains receiving two or more applications, an auction will be held between the applicants, while domains with only one application will be allocated directly to the company requesting it without auction.

"We are very excited about the smooth launch of Landrush. The volume of interest demonstrates strong demand for .Asia. Unlike conventional opening rushes where the best names are snatched in the opening seconds, you still have 20 days to submit your application without losing out," says Edmon Chung, CEO of DotAsia. "We are also excited to see strong participation from Asia, with five out of the top 10 registrars coming from Asia."