Executive Summary

The second quarter of 2020 closed with 370.1 million domain name registrations across all top-level domains (TLDs), an increase of 3.3 million domain name registrations, or 0.9 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2020.1,2 Domain name registrations have grown by 15.3 million, or 4.3 percent, year over year.1,2

Total country-code TLD (ccTLD) domain name registrations were 160.0 million at the end of the second quarter of 2020, an increase of 2.6 million domain name registrations, or 1.7 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2020.1,2 ccTLDs increased by 1.4 million domain name registrations, or 0.9 percent, year over year.1,2

The .com and .net TLDs had a combined total of 162.1 million domain name registrations in the domain name base3 at the end of the second quarter of 2020, an increase of 1.4 million domain name registrations, or 0.9 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2020. The .com and .net TLDs had a combined increase of 6.0 million domain name registrations, or 3.8 percent, year over year. As of June 30, 2020, the .com domain name base totaled 148.7 million domain name registrations, and the .net domain name base totaled 13.4 million domain name registrations.

New .com and .net domain name registrations totaled 11.1 million at the end of the second quarter of 2020, compared to 10.3 million domain name registrations at the end of the second quarter of 2019.

Total new gTLD (ngTLD) domain name registrations were approximately 31.6 million at the end of the second quarter of 2020, a decrease of 0.6 million domain name registrations, or 2.0 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2020. ngTLDs increased by 8.6 million domain name registrations, or 37.3 percent, year over year.

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

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

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 TLD 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.