Just a decade ago, the global domain name market was dominated by a small number of traditional top-level domains. Today, however, new generic top-level domains (new gTLDs) have become the fastest-growing segment of the domain industry.
The number of new gTLD registrations reached 52.9 million in the second quarter of 2026. This is an increase of 13.4 million registrations, or 34% year over year, significantly exceeding the 8.1% annual growth rate of the global domain name market overall.
According to the latest Domain Name Industry Brief (DNIB) report, the growing interest in new gTLDs among businesses and individuals establishing their online presence can be attributed to several factors.
The first is the broader choice of domain names. Many short and memorable names under traditional domain extensions have already been registered, while new gTLDs continue to offer greater opportunities to secure relevant, meaningful and easy-to-remember domain names.
The second key factor is branding. Businesses are increasingly selecting domain extensions that clearly reflect their industry or business activity. For example, technology companies may choose .tech or .io, e-commerce businesses .shop or .store, and digital service providers .app or .online. This approach not only helps users immediately recognize the purpose of a website but also strengthens brand identity and recognition.
The DNIB report also highlights the performance of legacy gTLDs – traditional generic top-level domains such as .org, .info, and .biz, excluding .com and .net. As of June 30, 2026, registrations under these extensions totaled 21.0 million, representing a 14.9% increase compared with the same period last year. Although this growth is well below that of new gTLDs, it demonstrates that demand for traditional generic domain extensions remains strong.
The continued expansion of new gTLDs is also contributing to a more competitive and diverse internet ecosystem. A wider choice of domain extensions encourages innovation, gives businesses greater flexibility in shaping their digital identity, and supports the balanced development of the global domain name market.
