Internet grows to 351.8 million domain names in Q1 of 2019

VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN) announced that the first quarter of 2019 closed with 351.8 million domain name registrations across all top-level domains (TLDs), an increase of 3.1 million domain name registrations, or 0.9 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2018.^1,2 Domain name registrations have grown by 18.0 million, or 5.4 percent, year over year.^1,2

The .com and .net TLDs had a combined total of 154.8 million domain name registrations in the domain name base³ at the end of the first quarter of 2019, an increase of 1.8 million domain name registrations, or 1.2 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2018. The .com and .net TLDs had a combined increase of 6.5 million domain name registrations, or 4.4 percent, year over year. As of March 31, 2019, the .com domain name base totaled 141.0 million domain name registrations, while the .net domain name base totaled 13.8 million domain name registrations.

New .com and .net domain name registrations totaled 9.8 million at the end of the first quarter of 2019, compared to 9.6 million domain name registrations at the end of the first quarter of 2018.

Verisign publishes the Domain Name Industry Brief to provide internet users throughout the world with statistical and analytical research and data on the domain name industry. The first quarter 2019 Domain Name Industry Brief, as well as previous reports, can be obtained at Verisign.com/DNIB.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The first quarter of 2019 closed with 351.8 million domain name registrations across all top-level domains (TLDs), an increase of 3.1 million domain name registrations, or 0.9 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2018.1,2 Domain name registrations have grown by 18.0 million, or 5.4 percent, year over year.1,2

Total country-code TLD (ccTLD) domain name registrations were 156.8 million at the end of the first quarter of 2019, an increase of 2.5 million domain name registrations, or 1.6 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2018.1,2 ccTLDs increased by 10.5 million domain name registrations, or 7.2 percent, year over year.1,2

The .com and .net TLDs had a combined total of 154.8 million domain name registrations in the domain name base3 at the end of the first quarter of 2019, an increase of 1.8 million domain name registrations, or 1.2 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2018. The .com and .net TLDs had a combined increase of 6.5 million domain name registrations, or 4.4 percent, year over year. As of March 31, 2019, the .com domain name base totaled 141.0 million domain name registrations, while the .net domain name base totaled 13.8 million domain name registrations.

New .com and .net domain name registrations totaled 9.8 million at the end of the first quarter of 2019, compared to 9.6 million domain name registrations at the end of the first quarter of 2018.

Total new gTLD (ngTLD) domain name registrations were 23.0 million at the end of the first quarter of 2019, a decrease of 0.8 million domain name registrations, or 3.4 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2018. ngTLDs increased by 2.8 million domain name registrations, or 13.8 percent, year over year.

NEW gTLDs AS PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL TLDs
(Source: Centralized Zone Data Service, Q1 2019; Verisign, Q1 2019; and Zooknic, Q1 2019)

Total ngTLD domain name registrations were 23.0 million at the end of the first quarter of 2019, a decrease of 0.8 million domain name registrations, or 3.4 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2018. ngTLDs increased by 2.8 million domain name registrations, or 13.8 percent, year over year. The top 10 ngTLDs represented 52.9 percent of all ngTLD domain name registrations. The following chart shows ngTLD domain name registrations as a percentage of overall TLD domain name registrations, of which they represent 6.5 percent, as well as the top 10 ngTLDs as a
percentage of all ngTLD domain name registrations for the first quarter of 2019.

¹ 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. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20131216006048/en/Freenom-Closes-3M-Series-Funding#.UxeUGNJDv9s.

²The generic top-level domain (gTLD) and ccTLD data cited in the brief: (i) includes ccTLD Internationalized Domain Names, (ii) is an estimate as of the time the brief was developed and (iii) is subject to change as more complete data is received.

³ 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. The .com and .net domain name registration figures are as reported in Verisign’s most recent SEC filings.