Nobody owns domain names derived from registries, they are merely leased and subject to recapture from either the registry at will, or the registrar with cause.

Nobody owns domain names derived from registries, they are merely leased and subject to recapture from either the registry at will, or the registrar with cause. Trademarking the domain name gives you vastly better protection, since even if the registrar/registry takes it back, nobody else can use it, so the incentive for those entities to change their mind on leasing it to you is reduced.