Donuts the largest applicant for new gTLD program has passed the Initial Evaluation of ICANN new gTLD program.

Donuts applied for 307 new gTLD domain names including the IDN for the string: 商店

This is the first new gTLD application filed by Donuts to be evaluated by ICANN.

As part of the initial evaluation, ICANN had to determine if each applicant has meet all the requirements to operate a new gTLD.

Donuts application which had a  Prioritization Number of 11 on the IDN for the string: 商店 just passed the evaluation.

There has been a lot of speculation whether Donuts would meet the criteria laid out in the ICANN new gTLD Applicant Guidebook.

The issue of whether Donuts was qualified to operate a registry under the new gTLD program actually hit the front page of the Washington Post back in September 2012.

Now that Donuts has passed IE on one of their applications, it should settle the issue.

Donuts is also partners with Demand Media, Inc (NYSE: DMD) in 107 of their new gTLD applications

In all 27 new gTLD all passed IE, all of which were IDN’s but the results of this one application of Donuts is what a lot of people in the ICANN community was waiting to see.