Global domain name market: 44% of domains are ccTLDs and 56% are gTLDs

44% of domain names globally are ccTLDs and 56% are gTLDs. These figures have not changed substantially over the past few years despite the introduction of hundreds of new gTLDs.

gTLDs grew a combined 0.2% over the past year, dragged down by declines in .top, .org, .net. .biz. The largest gTLD, .com, grew at just over 4% and maintains 46% of the global TLD market.
High percentage gains were made by .art, .ltd, .work, .stream, .reise and .wedding.

CENTR has published the Global TLD Report Q1/2018. The report covers the global status and registration trends in all top-level domains (legacy gTLDs, new gTLDs and ccTLDs), with additional focus on the European ccTLD market.

Highlights from the report

Global market

• The global TLD market grew 1.4% YOY at the end of Q1 2018, bringing total recorded domains to an estimated 333 million
• 44% of domain names globally are ccTLDs and 56% are gTLDs. These figures have not changed substantially over the past few years despite the introduction of hundreds of new gTLDs.

European market

• The TLD market in Europe is estimated at 100 million domains (locally registered ccTLD & gTLDs), of which 59% are European-based ccTLDs
• European ccTLDs grew in total 3.6% YOY and continue a period of stable growth, in part due to a decline in average deletion rates along with flat rates of new domains
• New research conducted by CENTR into European ccTLD pricing shows a median retail price of 10 EUR (ex-tax, new registration) with a range of 1-60 EUR

gTLDs

• gTLDs grew in total 0.1% YOY. Of the legacy gTLDs, .com and .info are the ones to have maintained consistent positive growth over the past year.
• .com has around 71% of the global gTLD market, with the rest attributed to other legacy gTLDs (18%) and new gTLDs at 11%.
• A third of all new gTLDs (2012 ICANN application round) have contracted over the past 12 months
• Median growth among geographic gTLDs was 1.9% YOY. This group has some of the lowest rates of domain parking among all new gTLDs