Donuts: 280,000+ domain name registrations in 43 New gTLDs

Donuts published yesterday some stas on how their New gTLD registry is doing up to now. Here are the numbers:
The numbers continue to grow during the 25th anniversary year of the Internet and the most significant expansion of online identities to date.
Here are the updated returns for Donuts:
20                   Current Donuts employees
31                   Donuts gTLDs now in the Sunrise process
43                   Donuts gTLDs now available to any registrant (38 of which are at non-EAP pricing)
95                   Donuts gTLDs delegated into the Internet’s root system
122                 Signed Registry Agreements
131                 Current number of ICANN-accredited registrars engaged to distribute Donuts                                                    gTLDs to the public
25,000+          Total registrations yesterday
280,000+        Total registrations to date across all Donuts gTLDs
Mar. 25           The housing boom begins:  .CONDOS, .PROPERTIES, .MAISON and .TIENDA enter Sunrise phase
Mar. 26           General availability opens for .EDUCATION, .INSTITUTE, .REPAIR, .CAMP                                                       and .GLASS
If you’re a trademark holder, it’s not too late — get listed in the Trademark Clearinghouse and you become eligible for all of our current and future Sunrise periods, as well as our Domains Protected Marks List, which protects your mark at a fraction of the cost of defensive registrations:
Over 50% Quantity of world’s top brands that have subscribed to our DPML service.
Sold.Domains

About Konstantinos Zournas

I studied Computer Engineering and Computer Science in London, UK and I am now living in Athens, Greece. I went online in 1995, started coding in 1996 and began buying domain names and creating websites in 2000. I started the OnlineDomain.com blog in 2012.

7 comments

  1. Konstantinos –

    Thanks for the timely, concise, relevant, and overall ‘terrific’ coverage of the gTLD roll-out! Much appreciated!

    Is there any way you can compare the numbers reported by Donuts above (notably the ~25,000 domains registered yesterday, and the ~280,000 domains registered overall) to the totals you have been reporting (as sourced via the zone files)?

    You previously identified the zone files as your primary data source for “# of gTLD registrations”; clearly noting that:

    “…zone files only include domain names that have nameservers assigned. Registered domains with no nameservers don’t enter the zone files.”

    So, I was wondering if you could compare your numbers to the ones released by Donuts today to get a true estimate of the % of (Donuts) gTLD’s that are registered WITHOUT the identification of nameservers. This % could then be used to “adjust” the ‘zone file’ numbers you report so they more accurately reflect actual registration totals…

    Just a thought …

    Cheers,
    Steve

  2. I don’t like how donuts conducts business. They are crying about icann screwing them, well donuts is classifying reg fee names as premium, and charging premium on keywords that they see registered thru multiple extensions in a pattern as new premiums. They are simply gauging their support system, and users are just going to be F);! It!

    They are killing their chances of success, I am starting to think Rick Schwartz was right about this. One giant shape shifting cash grab, yet they cry when they don’t get what they want, yet change the rules everyweek. This is not a true registry, this is double dipping, they are playing both sides. It is a broken model, .com does well because for the most part it’s all a level playing field for $8.50.

    You guys are just racking up airmiles on your credit cards, you keep paying $150 early acces fees, $240 in premium renewals, and you guys keep getting shitted on the people who are putting the screws to you. Add up your renewals x 10 years, and opportunity cost, get it suckers?

    • One premium domain with a renewal rate of $200 is better than a 20 .coms with little or no resale value…..Quality is the focus and not quantity when investing in New G’s………

      • The prices you were paying in the 2nd, and 3rd rounds, into mid 4 figures to acquire new G’s…added with your premium renewals, and at least a few years holding time, an end user might make an inquiry, but will balk at your offer, and find an alternative option.

        You have not realized the full effect of having over 1000 extensions in the marketplace, if you feel the defacto way to go is going to be the new gtld’s, then you need to consider the full arsenal of registration options a newbie end user might have.

        Guys that hold thousands of domains in their portfolios realize these headaches, and donuts is raping a lot of you guys right now. Uniregistry at least launched all their domains at one price, first come, first serve. I do not have an issue with the EAP program, but the reservations, and the premium labeling will kill off end users.

        Say you sell computer.technology for $10K, and the end user wants it moved over to their domain provider, they go to do a transfer, and they are asked for $xxx in annual renewal fee on transfer, they might reconsider, as they are going to say hold up, we have been paying $10 all these years, what’s going on here?

        This is why good .com’s will be worth more, I can register a good .com for 30 years, for what 1 premium $250 .gtld which is unproven costs for 1 year. You have just been playing the donuts game so far, you haven’t seen the onslaught of domains that are due out yet, I know it is hurting the pocket book, to throw out such sums, while taking focus off .com’s, hurts cash flow.

      • Ryan – Thanks for your response as I enjoy your insight. I understand your position and agree with some of it . My position is that the “buyers” or end users of the premium renewal domains will not hesitate paying the high renewal rates. A company or person who buys Computer.Technology will have plenty of money to pay for a small renewal………I feel the premium names are still the most marketable even with the high renewals………The problem going forward is the premium renewal prices seem to be getting larger as we roll out. This validates why some of us jumped in blazing when the roll out started……The ability to acquire premium domains in the Early Access Program with a relatively low renewal rate (under $200) remains my strategy. My strategy is clearly not of the majority, but I am sticking to it ……Best to you as always……..

  3. Assuming the average new gTLD domain is selling for $1,000 (I’m being generous) and the set up of the registry cost $185,000 (I’m being generous again), then:
    ((280,000 * $1,000 / 43))-(43*$185,000) = -$2,088,372

    Ouch! Bad business plan right there.

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