Global Domain Market Data Report 2026
As a fundamental internet resource, domain registration and transaction data directly reflect the health of the global digital economy. In 2026, after several years of steady growth, the global domain market is showing new characteristics and trends. Based on public data from Verisign, ICANN, and multiple domain trading platforms, this report comprehensively analyzes global domain market registration data, popular TLD rankings, secondary market transactions, and industry trends.
1. Global Domain Name Registrations
As of the end of Q2 2026, total global top-level domain (TLD) registrations reached 392 million, representing approximately 3.5% growth year-over-year. Generic TLDs (gTLDs) accounted for 255 million registrations, while country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) accounted for 137 million.
| Domain Category | Q2 2025 Registrations | Q2 2026 Registrations | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generic TLDs (gTLD) | 245M | 255M | +4.1% |
| Country-Code TLDs (ccTLD) | 133M | 137M | +3.0% |
| Total | 378M | 392M | +3.7% |
2. Popular TLD Rankings
2.1 Top 10 gTLDs by Registration Volume
| Rank | TLD | Registrations | Market Share | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .COM | 168M | 42.9% | Stable |
| 2 | .ORG | 11.2M | 2.9% | Flat |
| 3 | .NET | 10.5M | 2.7% | Slight decline |
| 4 | .AI | 8.5M | 2.2% | Fast growth +40% |
| 5 | .IO | 6.2M | 1.6% | Declining |
| 6 | .INFO | 4.8M | 1.2% | Flat |
| 7 | .APP | 4.2M | 1.1% | Steady growth |
| 8 | .SHOP | 3.8M | 1.0% | Stable |
| 9 | .ONLINE | 3.5M | 0.9% | Stable |
| 10 | .XYZ | 3.2M | 0.8% | Declining |
.AI has become the fastest-growing gTLD in 2026, with year-over-year growth exceeding 40%. Driven by the AI startup boom, .AI domains are popular not only among startups but also seeing defensive registrations by large enterprises.
2.2 Popular ccTLD Rankings
| Rank | TLD | Country/Region | Registrations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .DE | Germany | 18.3M | Europe's largest ccTLD |
| 2 | .CN | China | 16.5M | Affected by ICP filing policies |
| 3 | .UK | UK | 12.1M | Steady decline |
| 4 | .NL | Netherlands | 6.8M | European leader |
| 5 | .RU | Russia | 5.9M | Geopolitical impact |
| 6 | .BR | Brazil | 5.2M | Largest in Latin America |
| 7 | .AU | Australia | 4.2M | Steady growth |
| 8 | .JP | Japan | 4.0M | Stable |
| 9 | .FR | France | 3.8M | Continuous growth |
| 10 | .EU | EU | 3.6M | Stable |
3. Domain Secondary Market
3.1 Domain Transaction Data
From H2 2025 to H1 2026, the total global domain secondary market transaction volume reached approximately $1.85 billion, up 12% year-over-year.
| Platform | 2026 Transaction Volume | Market Share | Avg. Transaction Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternic (GoDaddy) | $680M | 37% | $2,450 |
| Sedo | $350M | 19% | $1,980 |
| DAN.COM | $280M | 15% | $2,100 |
| Namecheap Marketplace | $160M | 9% | $1,650 |
| Atom | $120M | 6.5% | $3,200 |
| Other | $260M | 13.5% | Varies |
4. Domain Industry Trends
4.1 AI's Impact on the Domain Industry
- AI Domain Generators: Registrars like GoDaddy and Namecheap launched AI-powered domain recommendation tools
- AI-Assisted Domain Valuation: AI models' accuracy in domain valuation has improved, adopted by more trading platforms
- AI Content Site Domain Demand: Growth in AI-generated content sites driving demand for related domains, especially .AI, .BLOG, and .TLD suffixes
4.2 Domain Renewal Price Trends
In 2026, multiple major registries adjusted domain renewal prices. Verisign's annual price adjustment for .COM and .NET remained around 7% (per its ICANN agreement), with .COM wholesale prices rising to $10.46.
| TLD | 2025 Renewal Price | 2026 Renewal Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| .COM | $12.17 | $13.03 | +7% |
| .NET | $13.50 | $14.45 | +7% |
| .ORG | $11.99 | $12.49 | +4% |
| .AI | $45.00 | $55.00 | +22% (demand-driven) |
| .IO | $38.00 | $42.00 | +11% |
5. Summary & Outlook
The global domain market in 2026 exhibits the following key characteristics:
- .COM still dominates, but market share is slowly declining as new gTLDs and newer suffixes attract registrations
- .AI domain surge, becoming the fastest-growing TLD, reflecting the thriving AI industry
- Active secondary market, with premium domain transaction prices continuing to rise; domains are widely recognized as digital assets
- Security and compliance as focus areas, with DNSSEC, DNS abuse mitigation, and domain security becoming industry focal points
- AI reshaping the domain industry, from domain generation to valuation, AI is permeating every aspect of domain services
Global domain registrations are expected to surpass 400 million by 2027. The next round of new gTLD applications will further enrich TLD options, while AI-related domains will continue their rapid growth trajectory. For businesses and individuals alike, domains remain irreplaceable core assets in digital brand building.