VeriSign, Inc., a global leader in domain names and internet security, today announced that approximately 1.4 million domain name registrations were added to the internet in the first quarter of 2018, bringing the total number of domain name registrations to approximately 333.8 million across all Top-Level Domains [TLDs].
The increase of approximately 1.4 million domain name registrations globally equates to a growth rate of 0.4 percent over the fourth quarter of 2017.1,2. The Domain Name Industry Brief [DNIB] further shows that domain name registrations have grown by approximately 3.2 million, or 1.0 percent, YoY.
Key Highlights
- The .com and .net TLDs had a combined total of approximately 148.3 million domain name registrations in the domain name base3 at the end of the first quarter of 2018 This represents an increase of approximately 1.9 million domain name registrations, or 1.3 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2017
- As of March 31, 2018, the .com domain name base totaled approximately 133.9 million domain name registrations, while the .net domain name base totaled approximately 14.4 million domain name registrations
- The .com and .net TLDs had a combined increase of approximately 4.6 million domain name registrations, or 3.2 percent, YoY
- New .com and .net domain name registrations totaled approximately 9.6 million at the end of the first quarter of 2018, compared to 9.5 million domain name registrations for the first quarter of 2017
- Growth of .com and .net domain names redirecting to popular global social media and e-commerce sites compared to Q1 2017 is dominated by Instagram [70%] followed by Etsy [18%] and LinkedIn [16%].
- Total new gTLD [ngTLD] domain name registrations were approximately 20.2 million at the end of the first quarter of 2018, with a decrease of 0.4 million domain name registrations, or 2.0 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2017. ngTLDs decreased by approximately 5.3 million domain name registrations, or 20.7 percent, YoY.
Verisign publishes the Domain Name Industry Brief to provide statistical and analytical research and data on the domain name industry. The second quarter 2017 Domain Name Industry Brief, as well as previous reports, can be obtained at Verisign.com/DNIB.
- The figure(s) includes domain names in the .tk ccTLD. .tk is a free ccTLD that provides free domain names to individuals and businesses. Revenue is generated by monetizing expired domain names. Domain names no longer in use by the registrant or expired are taken back by the registry and the residual traffic is sold to advertising networks. As such, there are no deleted .tk domain names. More here.
- The generic top-level domain [gTLD] and ccTLD data cited in this brief: (i) includes ccTLD Internationalized Domain Names, (ii) is an estimate as of the time this brief was developed and (iii) is subject to change as more complete data is received.
- The domain name base is the active zone plus the number of domain names that are registered but not configured for use in the respective Top-Level Domain zone file plus the number of domain names that are in a client or server hold status.