Global Domain Name Base Reaches 386.9 Million at the End of 2025

What the Latest DNIB Data Means for Registrars

The domain name industry closed the fourth quarter of Global domain name base 2025 with 386.9 million domain name registrations worldwide, according to the latest Domain Name Industry Brief (DNIB) report published by DNIB.com and sponsored by Verisign.

This represents:

• +8.4 million domains in Q4 2025 (a 2.2% quarterly increase)

• +22.7 million domains year-over-year (a 6.2% annual growth rate)

For registrars, this is not merely market expansion — it is confirmation that global demand for domain names remains structurally resilient despite economic cycles, AI disruption, and shifting digital behavior.

.com and .net Continue to Anchor the Market

At the end of Q4 2025:

• Combined .com and .net base: 173.5 million domains

• Quarterly growth: +1.6 million (0.9%)

• Year-over-year growth: +4.5 million (2.6%)

• .com base: 161.0 million

• .net base: 12.5 million

• New .com/.net registrations in Q4 2025: 10.7 million (compared to 9.5 million in Q4 2024)

For registrars, this reinforces three important operational realities:

1. .com remains the dominant commercial namespace globally.

2. Renewal stability continues to underpin predictable revenue streams.

3. New registrations are accelerating year-over-year in legacy gTLDs.

While quarterly growth in .com/.net (0.9%) is lower than overall industry growth (2.2%), the absolute scale remains unmatched. Any registrar’s revenue composition is still heavily influenced by .com performance, pricing dynamics, and renewal rates.

Country-Code TLDs: Steady and Regionally Strong

Total ccTLD registrations reached 145.6 million at the end of Q4 2025.

• Quarterly increase: +0.8 million (0.6%)

• Year-over-year increase: +4.8 million (3.4%)

The top 10 ccTLDs as of December 31, 2025 were:

.cn, .de, .uk, .ru, .nl, .br, .fr, .au, .in and .eu

For registrars operating internationally, ccTLDs continue to offer:

• Strong local-market demand

• Higher customer retention in domestic segments

• Strategic differentiation beyond .com dependency

The relatively modest quarterly growth (0.6%) suggests mature stabilization rather than decline — a typical pattern in well-established national markets.

Interpreting the 6.2% Annual Growth

A 6.2% year-over-year increase in the total domain name base is significant when viewed against the scale of nearly 387 million registrations.

This indicates:

• Continued digital business formation globally

• Ongoing website launches despite growth in social platforms

• Persistent relevance of domain ownership in e-commerce and professional presence

• Stable renewal behavior across mature TLDs

For registrars, this growth translates directly into:

• Expansion of billable assets under management

• Recurring renewal revenue growth

• Greater competition on pricing, bundling, and value-added services

Operational Implications for Registrars

The data points toward several strategic conclusions for registrar operators:

1. Scale Still Matters

With nearly 387 million domains globally, operational efficiency, automation, and cost control remain decisive. Margins depend on backend optimization, billing reliability, and renewal capture rates.

2. Renewal Strategy Is Critical

Quarterly growth is important, but renewal rates determine long-term profitability. The stable expansion of the base suggests healthy retention across legacy TLDs.

3. Portfolio Diversification Reduces Risk

While .com remains foundational, ccTLD growth and regional demand trends require thoughtful inventory and pricing management.

4. Competitive Pressure Will Increase

As the base grows, registrar competition intensifies — particularly around:

• First-year pricing

• Bundled hosting and security

• Value-added services

• Customer experience

A Market That Remains Fundamentally Strong : Global domain name base 2025

The 2025 closing figures confirm that the domain name industry is neither saturated nor declining. Instead, it continues to grow at a moderate but durable pace.

386.9 million domains globally is not just a milestone — it reflects an internet that still relies on the Domain Name System as its foundational addressing layer.

For registrars, the message is clear:

• The market is expanding.

• Demand is stable.

• Recurring revenue models remain intact.

• Operational excellence and strategic positioning will define the next phase of competition.

The Domain Name Industry Brief continues to provide one of the most comprehensive statistical views into this ecosystem. For data-driven registrar operators, these numbers are not background noise — they are indicators of where infrastructure, investment, and strategy should align in 2026.