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The
Lowdown
July
2025 Archive
Welcome to the
The Lowdown from
DN Journal - your source for notable news and information from all
corners of the global domain name industry!
The Lowdown is
compiled by DN Journal Editor & Publisher
Ron Jackson.
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Worldwide
Domain Registrations Pass the 371 Million Mark -
New Verisign Domain Name Industry Brief Breaks
Down the Latest Numbers |
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VeriSign,
(the administrator of the .com and .net
TLDs) has released their latest quarterly Domain
Name Industry Brief (DNIB) covering
the 2nd quarter of 2025. This update showed
the total number of domain registrations across all
TLDs worldwide ended the most recent quarter
at 371.1 million. That is up 9.3 million
domains from a year earlier, representing a 2.6%
year-over-year increase.
.Com,
the dominant TLD on the Internet, reversed what
has been a recent slow decline in total
registrations by closing the quarter at 157.9
registrations. That was just slightly above the
year ago figure of 157.6 million but it put
.com back on its historically positive path. .Net
however went the opposite direction, slipping to 12.6
million registrations at the end of the most
recent quarter from 13.1 million at this
point last year, a 3.1% decline. |
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The
ccTLDs ended 2Q-2025 with 143.5 million domains
registered. That is up 3.5 million from last
year, a growth rate of 2.5% that is right in
line with the rate reported for all domains
combined. The
new gTLDs, working from a smaller base,
continued to show the highest rate of growth in
percentage terms. They ended the last quarter with
39.5 million registrations, up 4.9 million
from a year ago, representing a healthy 14.2%
gain. There is much more interesting data you can
review in the full
brief.
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(Posted
July 28, 2025) To refer others to the post
above only (and not the full Lowdown
column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2025/dailyposts/0728.htm
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With
NamesCon Global 2025 in Miami Drawing Near Now is
the Time to Beat a Ticket Price Increase Coming
August 1 |
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Veteran
conference attendees know early birds get
the best ticket prices. The cost typically
increases in multiple stages right up to opening
day when the full fare is in effect. That will be
the case with the industry's biggest annual event,
NamesCon
Global, that will be staged in Florida
for the first time when a highly-anticipated show
will take place at the Ice Palace in Miami
on November 5 & 6, 2025. With the event
barely 3 months away, prices will be going up on August
1. If you act before then you can still get
tickets at the current price of $649 and NamesCon
is offering our readers 20% off that rate
if the you use the promo code DNJ20 when
you register. |
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As you
would expect, conference organizers have been busy
working on the Miami event ever since the 10th
anniversary edition of NamesCon Global
concluded in Austin, Texas last summer. In
fact they already have the Mainstage
Agenda completed for the upcoming show
in Miami. It is an outstanding line up of speakers,
fireside chats, panel discussions and special events
that are sure to make the Florida event stand out in
what has been more than a decade of consistently
productive meetings that have given attendees the
opportunity to meet directly with industry
leaders from around the world.
In
the weeks ahead, we'll keep you up to date on the
still expanding agenda (a second stage will be
running concurrently with the Main Stage), as well
as additions to the roster of speakers, range of
topics and array of social activities (some of which
we
touched on a few weeks ago, shortly
after Miami was announced as the 2025 conference
location). For now, we just wanted to alert you to
the impending price increase so you can save
some money on tickets if you plan to
join the festivities in Florida this fall. We hope
to see you there.
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(Posted
July 27, 2025) To refer others to the post
above only (and not the full Lowdown
column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2025/dailyposts/0727.htm
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Six
Industry Experts Tackle Key Topics in Ionos
Podcast and .ART Announces a Webinar and Live Tour
of Their New Gallery in the Metaverse |
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Earlier
this month we shared some photos and highlights
with you from the 2025
InterNetX Domain Summit that was held
in Frankfurt, Germany June 25-26. The event
attracted leading domain experts from across
Europe and beyond. Now, thanks to the wonderful
world of podcasting, you can listen to one
of this year's most interesting sessions. In
a special edition of the Inside
Ionos podcast
co-hosts Thilo Haertel and Simone Catania
drew insight into the latest industry trends
from guests Chris Mondini (ICANN), Polina
Malaja (CENTR), Stephen Nyhan (Sectigo)
and Abe Storey (Entri). |
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Chris, who is the ICANN
VP for Stakeholder Engagement Europe, presented key
details you need to know about ICANN's next round
of new gTLDs that are headed our way in 2026. He
spoke about the goals of the program and what the
next big steps will be as the process continues to
unfold. Polina, the Policy Director at CENTR,
explained the intricacies of digital sovereignty and how evolving
European domain policies could impact businesses and users worldwide.
Stephen, Director of Global Sales Engineering at Sectigo,
unpacked current encryption trends and the long-term implications of quantum computing on
cybersecurity to help everyone take steps needed
not to ensure future readiness. Abe, the CEO at Entri,
laid out his groundbreaking approach to building domain API solutions
tailored for SaaS platforms with additional
tips on new ways of optimizing domain-related solutions for modern digital infrastructure. As
you would expect from this group, a remarkable about
of actionable information in packed into the concise
34-minute program and you can hear
it all here.
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Another
special online event is coming up Thursday,
July 24 that will be of special interest
to art and new technology lovers. An
innovative company based in Florida, IMX3.ART,
has been wowing people with their ability to
scan and recreate art and other objects in the
metaverse. They just finished recreating
Fort Lauderdale's famed FATVillage
arts and technology neighborhood (since
demolished to make way for new development). |
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You can walk
around the metaverse FATVillage streets and
into various structures, including a new
virtual gallery created by a .ART
domain registry team working in
tandem with IMX3. .ART is using the
gallery to showcase the work of their
official artist, Medina Kasimova.
For the official gallery opening Thursday
.ART will be hosting a webinar featuring some of the metaverse experts
from IMX3. During the webinar, you can also
joing them for a live tour of the
gallery featuring Medina's work. |
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.ART
CMO Jeff Sass (a Fort Lauderdale
resident who spent a lot of time in the
original FATVillage) is excited about
the arrival of the metaverse version of the
neighborhood (and other recreated communities
like it). "A virtual art gallery in the
metaverse exposes an artist's work to the
world in an immersive and exciting
way," Jeff said. This press
release has additional
information about the upcoming virtual
exhibition and webinar. You can visit the gallery by going to
medina.imx3.art, and you can
register for the webinar at this
link. |
(Posted July
18, 2025) To refer others to the post
above only (and not the full Lowdown
column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2025/dailyposts/0718.htm
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Atom.com
Unveils New AI Semantic Search Path Designed to
Improve Domain Discovery |
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No
matter how good your domain name is, if people
can't find it you're not going to be able to
sell it. With millions of domain names
available on the aftermarket, businesses have some
very deep water to wade through
in search
of the right name for their enterprise. Odds are
there are several domains out there that would be
great choices for them (including some they hadn't
even thought of) if they could just sift the
gems out of the ocean of names they have no use
for. Many
are expecting AI to come to the rescue in
that regard and rapidly growing aftermarket
platform Atom.com
just announced they are putting it to use
in a new
semantic search tool. Atom Founder and
CEO Darpan Munjal noted, "Many domain
names don’t sell |
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because
no
one ever sees them. Not because they’re
bad. Not because they’re overpriced. Just because
the right buyer never finds them." Convinced
that Domain Search is broken, Darpan and his team
have spent the past several months working on an
"AI-powered search assistant that helps
you find a domain by talking through what you’re
building, the same way you’d explain it to a
friend, a co-founder, or a brand strategist."
Darpan
provided this example, "You can say
something like, “I am launching a food
delivery app for urban cities”. The
assistant doesn’t just pull up names with
the word “Delivery” or “Urban.” It
listens. It thinks. It returns curated,
on-tone names that actually fit the
direction. Then it might follow up with,
“Would you prefer a bold, modern name,
or something more playful”. That
back-and-forth completely changes the
experience. It helps buyers get clear on
what they’re looking for, even if they
didn’t know it when they started typing." "If
a name grabs your attention, just click on More
like this. The assistant will
instantly pull up 100 other names that
share a similar style and underlying meaning
– not just keyword matches, but real
semantic connections." Darpan added,
"If you’re a buyer, this means
you don’t have to guess what to search for
anymore. Just describe your idea in your
own words, and let the system help guide you.
If you’re a seller, it means your
domains finally have a chance to show up for
the people they were made for. Not just
because they hit a keyword, but because they
match the buyer’s actual intent." |
Darpan
Munjal
Founder & CEO, Atom.com |
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For
more details, read Darpan's full
announcement here - and to check
the search tool out for yourself, try
out this beta
release that just went live
today. |
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(Posted
July 17, 2025) To refer others to the post
above only (and not the full Lowdown
column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2025/dailyposts/0717.htm
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Sword.com
Sells for $1.5 Million in Another Big Win for ATM
Holdings/
Hilco Digital and Braden Pollock With a Key Assist
from Brannans.com |
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Fireworks
weren't confined to the sky over America's 4th of
July holiday weekend. The domain aftermarket was
getting lit up too with the biggest blast coming
Sunday morning when we learned that ATM
Holdings/Hilco
Digital brokered a $1.5 million
sale of Sword.com for Braden Pollock
(LegalBrandMarketing.com).
Hilco Digital's Managing Director, super broker Andrew
Miller, included the news in his popular
weekly Random Sunday Thoughts post on
LinkedIn
(#170 in the must read series) this morning. Andrew didn't
mention the seller's name but I
wasn't surprised to get a note soon after from
Braden that ATM/HD had sold the domain for
him, with Brannans.com representing the buyer
(whose identity was not disclosed). |
Image from Bigstock
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This is the second seven-figure sale that
Braden and Andrew have collaborated on in the past
60 days. In May
Hilco Digital sold Fuse.com for Braden at $2,129,509.
When we add Sword.com to our charts Wednesday
evening, July 9 (when our next b-weekly domain
sales report will be published), Braden
will have two of the year's five biggest
publicly reported domain sales (assuming
nothing bigger comes in over the next 48 hours). For
Andrew and Hilco Digital the spotlight is
even
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Andrew
Miller and Braden Pollock |
brighter as it gives them three of the top four,
including #1 Icon.com, a $12
million sale they closed in conjunction with
buyer's representative Lumis.com in April.
As if the Sword.com sale wasn't enough, Braden
also let me know about two huge .org sales he
has closed - R.org at $375,000 and
Forward.org at $100,000. Those are the two
biggest .org sales reported year
to date and we will be charting them
Wednesday evening as well. Very impressive sales
from several other corners have come in too. I
remember when summer was a slow time for domain
sales but there no longer seems to be an off season
of any kind in this business, for which we can all
be thankful.
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(Posted
July 6, 2025) To refer others to the post
above only (and not the full Lowdown
column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2025/dailyposts/0706.htm
*****
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A
Galaxy of Domain Industry Stars Turned Out for
InterNetX's 2025 Domain Summit in Frankfurt |
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The fourth annual InterNetX
Domain Summit was held June 25th & 26th
at the Union Halle in Frankfurt, Germany.
As has been the case with each edition of this
popular conference, attendees came from across
Europe and beyond to catch up on the latest developments
in domain names and the broader digital ecosystem.
Equally important was the chance to participate in
two days of enlightening discussions and network
with some of the most widely-known and respected
players in the domain business. As
a trusted name in domain-related services for over
25 years now, InterNetX has the kind of
reputation and connections it takes to bring in
key partners, decision-makers and industry
experts, including those from the IONOS
Group, the parent company of some of
the most recognized brands on the web, including InterNetX,
Sedo and United Domains, to mention
just a few. After he
had a chance to recuperate from the whirlwind
Summit schedule, I asked Simone Catania,
the Global Content & Communications Manager at
InterNetX, to share his thoughts on what made
the 2025 InterNetX Summit stand out. We
are happy to provide his insight below.
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The
2025 InterNetX Domain Summit
underway at the Frankfurt Union Halle
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"The
Summit kicked off on Wednesday evening (June 25)
with a Welcome Night held at the
iconic PSD Arena in Frankfurt,
underscoring InterNetX’s partnership with the Frankfurt
Galaxy football team. Embracing the
motto "Let's Play with Champions," the
evening set the stage
for the summit with a welcome speech by Elias Rendón
Berger, CEO of InterNetX and Eric
Reutemann, CEO and co-founder of Frankfurt
Galaxy. Guests enjoyed an exclusive and relaxed
atmosphere, blending industry networking with
sportsmanship spirit."
InterNetX
is a sponsor of the Frankfurt Galaxy American football
team.
"Thursday
marked the main event day, featuring a
robust agenda packed with critical topics
shaping today’s domain market." Those
included:
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●
Domain Security: Protecting domains and
mitigating risks in an ever-evolving digital
environment
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New gTLD Program: Updates and analysis
of the next steps in global top-level domains
with a key speech note from ICANN
●
Digital Sovereignty: Navigating the
intersection of technology and national
independence
● Policy
Insights: Exploring the regulatory
landscape impacting the domain world
● Domain
Investments: Current trends,
opportunities, and predictions in domain
acquisitions |
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"This
curated agenda gave attendees valuable educational
opportunities and a chance to gain new
perspectives, challenge existing
assumptions, and contribute to shaping the
future of the domain industry," Simone
noted. |
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"The
event concluded with a vibrant Hawaiian-themed
party, where attendees gathered in a
relaxed setting to cap off an incredible
day. Surrounded by a festive atmosphere,
guests could enjoy food, refreshing drinks,
and carry on meaningful conversations in a
more informal and laid-back environment. The
night played out as the perfect opportunity
to strengthen connections and celebrate the
collective achievements of the domain
industry." |
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"The InterNetX
Domain Summit 2025 was powered by the
support of industry-leading sponsors: Sectigo, Radix,
and Entri, who contributed to
the cutting-edge discussions within the
digital space. Additionally, D3 sponsored
a DomainFi House, providing
a relaxing venue for networking while
keeping attendees energized."
Simone
added, "The 2025 Summit epitomized the
essence of collaboration and innovation
in the domain sector. It highlighted
why InterNetX, with its legacy of 25
years, remains a cornerstone of the
industry. Serving a large pool of
international clients, InterNetX continues
to pave the way forward for brands,
businesses, and individuals relying on its
domain-related services."
"By
bringing together a diverse range of
professionals and driving critical
conversations, the Domain
Summit reinforced its reputation as
a must-attend event for anyone
shaping the future of the domain
market. We’re excited to see how this
year’s insightful discussions will stimulate
advancements across the domain
landscape." |
Simone
Catania
InterNetX Global Content
& Communications Manager |
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(Posted
July 1, 2025) To refer others to the post
above only (and not the full Lowdown
column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2025/dailyposts/0701.htm
*****
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